The Relationship Between Typical and Maximum Performance: A Meta-Analytic Examination

Abstract

This study's purpose was to meta-analytically estimate the magnitude of the relationship between typical and maximum job performance to determine if this distinction deserves greater attention. We also tested several moderators including three associated with the temporal boundaries of this relationship and examined theoretical antecedents of typical and maximum performance (ability, motivation, and personality). This meta-analysis revealed a moderate typical–maximum performance association (ρ = .42), suggesting that a meaningful distinction does exist. Although the examined temporal moderators did not meaningfully affect the typical–maximum performance relationship, task complexity, type of performance measure, and study setting were significant moderators. Antecedent analyses confirmed that both ability and Openness to Experience are more strongly related to maximum than typical performance. The implications of these findings are discussed.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A previous version of this article was presented at the Academy of Management conference, Montreal, Canada, in August 2010. We thank Ute-Christine Klehe and an anonymous reviewer for their helpful insights on this article. We also thank Stephanie Payne, Christopher Berry, In-Sue Oh, David Van Rooy, and Jeffrey Thomas for their feedback on an earlier version of the paper.

Notes

¹This meta-analytic correlation equates to a d value of .93, confirming a strong distinction between typical and maximum performance according to conventional effect size interpretations (Cohen, 1992).