Consider a goal that your manager could set for you that would put you in the Comfort Zone. How does it feel to be in the Comfort Zone? What is the impact on performance and productivity? Why do managers put or keep people in the Comfort Zone?

I currently have one direct report and I believe my manager could assign two more direct reports under me and I would still be in my comfort zone. The feeling of being on your comfort zone is good because we can achieve our goals and we are set to be successful. In my case, I get bored easily, so I prefer to be challenged more often and I also learn more when I am not in my comfort zone. Managers place their employees in roles that they believe they can provide success to the organization and achieve company goals.

Now think of a goal that would put you in the Peak Zone? How would it feel to be expected to reach that goal? What would your productivity look like? What percentage of the employees in your organization are in the Peak Zone?

The number of different tasks I have at work are pushing my job to the peak zone and if my manager was to assign employee investigations to me, it will be more challenging due to time. I do get stress to fail, and it affects me. I always learn the most in this zone and I do like it. Many times, in my career I was placed in the peak zone, and I was successful at the end. I believe that good managers know their employee's potential and when to assign more. In my organization because we are always short staffed there are about 60 percent of employees in the peak zone.

Now imagine you've been given a goal that is beyond your capabilities: you are in the Frozen Zone. How do you feel? What might happen if you stay in the Frozen Zone? How can managers identify when they've put someone in the Frozen Zone?

If I was given the department of JCI to report to me, this will be considered to be in the frozen zone, but I also believe that with the proper training and support, success will be accomplished. I will be overwhelmed at first. If I stay in the frozen zone, I will be willing to get help and work hard so that one day this becomes my comfort zone. In my world, there is no room for failure, and I always find ways to make it work. I believe that managers can identify that employees are placed in the frozen zone when there is little to no engagement, when employees are failing, and they can't meet the expectation and goals. This often happens when there is no proper training or tools provided for employees to do their job right.