Performance improvement can be viewed as a rising elevator. The floor represents the minimum level of performance experienced, while the ceiling represents best demonstrated performance. The distance between the floor and the ceiling represents the variability, or range, of performance over a given timeframe. You can work on raising the floor, by eliminating weaknesses for example, focus on raising the ceiling to new heights or strive to reduce the difference between the floor and the ceiling. The nature of your work and its ecosystem will help determine where you should focus and the speed at which the elevator should move.

“That’s part of what getting good is: raising expectations at both ends of the spectrum, as well as all the points in between.” –Brian Phillips