From Average to Excellent
Developing Top Performers in Warehouse Operations
Here's something that might surprise you: The next person you to promote may not be your current top performer.
Think about it. Your top performers are already operating at peak efficiency in their current roles. They're your go-to people for critical tasks, your safety nets during busy periods, and frankly, you need them exactly where they are.
The real leadership potential? It's often hiding in plain sight among your solid, consistent contributors—the ones who show up every day, help their teammates, and quietly demonstrate the kind of steady reliability that actually makes great leaders.
Most managers can identify their top performers but struggle to replicate that excellence across their teams. We make the mistake of assuming high performance is purely talent-based rather than developable. Meanwhile, we're sitting on a goldmine of untapped potential among our average performers.
Here's the truth: Top performers aren't born—they're systematically developed through intentional leadership practices. The strategies I'm sharing today will help you transform average team members into excellent contributors using a proven framework tailored specifically for warehouse and manufacturing environments.
Understanding the Development Landscape
In warehouse operations, your team naturally falls into four distinct performance levels:
Underperformers struggle to meet baseline expectations and require immediate intervention. Average performers meet basic requirements but lack initiative—they do what's asked but rarely go beyond. Solid contributors consistently deliver good work with occasional moments of excellence. Top performers consistently excel and often display natural leadership qualities.
The biggest opportunity lies in that middle group—your average performers and solid contributors. These team members have established reliability but haven't yet discovered their full potential.
Why do average performers stay average? Usually, it's not lack of ability. It's lack of clear development pathways, insufficient feedback and coaching, missing stretch opportunities, and no visible connection between their current role and future possibilities.
The overlooked truth is that many "average" performers have significant untapped capacity. Many of the best managers I've worked with started as average warehouse associates. They weren't initially standout performers, but they had the fundamental qualities that, when developed, translate into exceptional leadership. I myself started in this category and am forever grateful to the leader that took time to help me develop my potential.
As I explored in my post on identifying hidden talents, the key is looking beyond surface-level performance to spot the underlying indicators of potential. The question isn't whether your team members can excel—it's whether you'll invest in making it happen.
The business case for development is compelling: reduced turnover costs, improved operational efficiency, enhanced team morale, and creation of an internal promotion pipeline.
But the real payoff is cultural—when you develop one person, it impacts entire team dynamics and creates a culture of growth and possibility.
The Four-Pillar Framework for Developing Excellence
Pillar 1: Intentional Assessment and Selection
Developing top performers starts with looking beyond performance metrics to identify learning agility, problem-solving curiosity, and peer influence. The development readiness indicators I watch for include team members who ask thoughtful questions during training, volunteer for additional responsibilities, help struggling teammates without being asked, and demonstrate consistency in their approach.
Effective assessment requires structured observation during various operational scenarios, collecting peer feedback, and watching how people respond to stretch assignments. The biggest mistake is confusing extroversion with leadership potential or overlooking quiet contributors who might be your strongest future leaders.
I've learned to pay attention to the associate who stays after their shift to help the next person get started, the one who asks "why" questions during process changes, and the person others naturally turn to for guidance. These behaviors often matter more than pure productivity metrics.
Pillar 2: Personalized Development Planning
Individual development conversations are crucial for understanding career aspirations, motivations, skill gaps, and learning preferences. Your development plan framework should include a current state assessment, target capability goals, specific learning experiences, and clear timelines with milestones.
As I discussed in my post on using 1:1 meetings to set and track goals, effective development conversations require preparation and structure. You need to understand not just what someone can do, but what they want to do and why it matters to them.
The key is balancing operational needs with development opportunities. You can't sacrifice daily performance for long-term growth, but you can find ways to integrate development into existing workflows.
This might mean cross-training during slower periods, assigning process improvement projects that align with business needs, or pairing development activities with operational objectives.
Pillar 3: Strategic Stretch Assignments
The 70-20-10 development model applies perfectly to warehouse environments: 70% of learning comes from challenging assignments, 20% from learning from others, and 10% from formal training.
Warehouse-specific stretch opportunities include cross-training in different departments, leading small process improvement projects, mentoring new hires, participating in safety committees, and taking temporary leadership roles during breaks or vacations. The key is progressive challenge levels—starting with manageable challenges and gradually increasing complexity.
As I covered in last month’s post on strategic delegation, matching tasks to development needs requires understanding both the assignment's learning potential and the individual's readiness level. The best stretch assignments feel challenging but achievable, with clear success metrics and built-in support.
Pillar 4: Continuous Coaching and Feedback
Development requires consistent conversation cadence: weekly check-ins on development progress, monthly formal development reviews, and quarterly goal adjustment sessions. Your feedback techniques should use the Situation-Behavior-Impact model, include forward-looking coaching questions, and integrate peer feedback.
Building development momentum means celebrating small wins and progress markers. People need to see that their efforts are noticed and valued. This isn't about participation trophies—it's about recognizing genuine progress and connecting development efforts to operational improvements.
The coaching aspect is where many managers struggle. As I discussed in my post on delivering constructive criticism, effective feedback focuses on specific behaviors and their impact, not personality traits or general impressions. Development conversations should feel supportive and future-focused, not punitive.
A Personal Story: Transforming Potential into Performance
Let me share a story from my time managing outbound operations at Amazon that illustrates how this framework works in practice.
Sarah (not her real name) was an 18-month associate who consistently hit average performance numbers. She met basic productivity standards but showed no particular initiative. Other managers had written her off as "solid but limited"—reliable enough to keep around but not someone you'd invest extra time in developing.
But I noticed something others missed. Sarah had perfect attendance, helped others during breaks, and asked detailed questions during new process rollouts. While her productivity was average, her approach was methodical and thoughtful. She seemed to genuinely care about understanding the "why" behind our processes.
The question isn't whether your team members can excel—it's whether you'll invest in making it happen.
During a routine one-on-one conversation, I decided to dig deeper. I asked about her career aspirations and what aspects of the job interested her most. That's when I learned she had been a team lead at a previous job and was actually holding back because she wasn't sure if initiative was welcomed in her current role.
We developed a personalized plan that included cross-training in problem-solving methodology, pairing her with one of our top performers as an informal mentor, and having her lead a small team during peak season preparation.
The stretch assignment I gave her was to identify and propose a solution for a recurring packaging inefficiency that had been frustrating our team.
The transformation didn't happen overnight. For the first 6-8 weeks, progress was minimal. Sarah was cautious, still unsure if she was really being encouraged to take initiative. But I maintained weekly development check-ins, providing specific feedback on leadership behaviors and celebrating small wins.
Within six months, Sarah had become the informal go-to person for process questions. Her performance metrics improved from average to top 10%. More importantly, she started demonstrating the kind of leadership presence that made her promotion to Process Assistant feel inevitable.
The ripple effect was remarkable. Her development inspired other average performers to engage more actively. The team began expecting development opportunities, which raised overall engagement levels. What started as an investment in one person became a cultural shift toward continuous improvement.
The key lessons I learned: Development conversations took 15-20 minutes weekly but yielded exponential returns. Visible changes took 8-10 weeks to manifest, requiring patience and consistency. Most importantly, when you develop one person effectively, it sends a signal to the entire team that growth is possible and supported.
Implementation Strategies for Warehouse Leaders
Creating a development-focused culture starts with establishing clear expectations that development is part of performance discussions, not an optional extra. Build peer learning networks by pairing developing performers with established top performers. Create recognition systems that celebrate development progress alongside operational achievements.
Common obstacles include time constraints, resource limitations, and resistance to change. Address time constraints by integrating development into existing operational rhythms rather than treating it as separate activity. Work with resource limitations by leveraging existing strengths and internal expertise rather than requiring new tools or programs.
Handle resistance by demonstrating rather than mandating—when people see others growing and advancing, they typically become more receptive to development opportunities.
Measure development success through both leading and lagging indicators. Leading indicators include participation in stretch assignments, peer feedback improvements, and frequency of initiative-taking. Lagging indicators include performance metric improvements, promotion readiness, and engagement survey results.
Build development partnerships by creating cross-training opportunities with other departments, establishing mentor networks that connect developing performers with leaders from other areas, and leveraging external resources like company training programs when available.
Sustain development momentum through regular program reviews, continuous improvement based on what works, and creation of clear pathways from development to advancement. The goal is making development feel like a natural part of career progression, not a special program.
Helping developed team members articulate their growth journey and connect their experiences into compelling narratives prepares them for promotion opportunities and leadership roles.
The Time Investment Reality
I also want to acknowledge the elephant in the room: developing people takes time—time you probably don't feel like you have. Those 10-minute conversations with associates feel inconvenient when you have fires to fight. Production targets, safety metrics, and operational demands don't pause for development.
But here's the reality: you have to choose your hard.
Option 1 is the up-front investment: 15-20 minutes per week per developing performer, structured development conversations, planning and tracking stretch assignments, and short-term operational adjustments to accommodate learning curves.
Option 2 is the long-term consequences: doing tasks yourself because no one else can handle them (which takes exponentially more time), high turnover from disengaged team members (constant training cycles where no one ever reaches full potential), missing critical issues because you're spread too thin, and perpetual firefighting mode instead of strategic leadership.
The mathematics of development are straightforward: 60-80 minutes per month per person as initial investment, with typical ROI appearing in 3-4 months when you see meaningful improvement. The long-term payoff is developed team members becoming force multipliers who take work off your plate.
Make time work for you by integrating development conversations with existing operational walkthroughs, using real-time situations as teaching moments, having developed performers help train others, and building development into your operational rhythm as a system, not an add-on.
Both options require sacrifice—the question is which sacrifice you can live with. The difficulty of developing your team is temporary; the difficulty of managing an underdeveloped team is permanent. Your choice today determines whether you'll be a firefighter or a leader six months from now.
From Theory to Action
Here are eight practical steps you can implement this week:
1. Conduct a Performance Spectrum Analysis Map your team members across the four performance levels. Identify 2-3 average performers with development potential. Schedule initial development conversations within the next two weeks.
2. Create Development Conversation Templates Prepare 5-7 questions about career aspirations and motivations. Develop a simple skill assessment framework. Plan for 10-15 minute individual conversations that focus on understanding potential rather than just current performance.
3. Design Your First Stretch Assignment Identify a small, manageable project that requires new skills. Choose something with clear success metrics that adds value to operations while developing the individual. Start with one person and one project to test your approach.
4. Establish a Development Tracking System Use a simple framework to track progress and insights. Set up monthly review calendar reminders. Create a method for documenting what works and what doesn't, so you can refine your approach.
5. Build Your Peer Mentor Network Identify top performers willing to mentor others. Match mentors with developing performers based on complementary strengths. Provide basic guidance on effective mentoring without over-complicating the process.
6. Implement Weekly Development Check-ins Add 10-15 minute check-ins to schedule. Focus on progress, obstacles, and next steps. Document insights and adjustments needed. Keep these conversations forward-looking and supportive.
7. Create Recognition Moments Identify opportunities to celebrate development progress. Share success stories with the broader team. Connect development achievements to operational improvements so people understand the business value.
8. Plan Your Development Pipeline Map out potential career paths within your organization. Identify skill requirements for next-level positions. Create development timelines for high-potential performers that align with business needs and individual aspirations.
Conclusion
Top performers are developed, not discovered. A systematic approach yields predictable results, and small, consistent investments create exponential returns. When you develop one person effectively, it impacts entire team dynamics, creates a culture of growth and possibility, and builds sustainable competitive advantage.
Start with one or two high-potential average performers. Focus on consistent implementation over perfect execution. Track progress and adjust your approach based on results. Remember that leadership legacy isn't measured by what you accomplish personally, but by the people you develop along the way.
Every average performer represents untapped potential waiting for the right development approach. The question isn't whether your team members can excel—it's whether you'll invest in making it happen. Both developing your team and managing an underdeveloped team are difficult. You have to choose which difficulty you can live with.
The choice you make today will determine whether you're leading a team of excellence or managing a collection of missed opportunities six months from now.
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