Managing your two tails I’ve gone into detail on Project Oxygen and the bottom 5 percent for three reasons. First, it’s an exceptional illustration of what can be learned and accomplished by focusing on the two tails of performance. Looking at average managers didn’t help, nor did benchmarking. Comparing the extremes allowed us to see meaningful differences in behavior and outcomes, which then formed a basis for unceasing improvements in how people experience Google. Second, it illustrates the notion of compassionate pragmatism. Letting those who are at the bottom of the performance
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