That’s what they were saying when Eli Manning was drafted by the New York Giants in 2004.  Since then, Eli’s coming morphed into talk about Eli’s going.  He just hadn’t been the quarterback, the leader, the game changer Giants fans expected.  There was a lot of talk about it being time for Eli to go during the current season that ended last night with the Giants’ improbable Super Bowl victory over the almost perfect New England Patriots and the naming of Eli as the game’s most valuable player.

A few weeks ago, there was a funny, yet insightful, article about Eli in Slate Magazine.   Today, there are articles across America filled with adulation for Manning the Younger.

I’ve done a number of posts on the need for employers to deal appropriately, even quickly, with poor performers.  Those posts still stand. 

Here’s this week’s tip. It’s also important to remember that some employees with star power may take longer to reach their potential than we anticipated.  Don’t write them off.  Don’t give up on them.  Don’t demote them.  Watch them.  Work with them.  Coach them.  If you do your part and the employees do their part (which is also essential), something great may happen.  May happen.

Eli Manning was never a poor performer.  He just wasn’t as great as he was expected to be.  There’s a legitimate argument that even during the past four years, he was performing well.  I’m not sure he was worth what he was getting paid, but I’m not sure any professional football player is worth what he’s getting paid.  And, of course, it still remains to be seen whether Eli will become the year-in-year-out star that big brother Peyton is. 

If you have an employee who was barely qualified for the job he’s in and who hasn’t been able to work his way out of a paper bag since day one, you need to send him packing.  It’s not going to get any better.  In fact, the longer you wait, the worse it will get.

If you have an employee you moved heaven and earth to get and he’s not performing at the high level you just knew he would from day one, you need to stay the course–for a while.  If you were right about his talent, it’s likely to come through.  It’s just going to take longer than you thought.  He may or may not ever perform at the high level you thought he could,  but he’s likely to perform pretty darn well.

Judging talent and then judging performance are difficult, delicate tasks.  They require good balance, proper perspective and common sense on your part.  You’ve got to be able to act quickly when appropriate and slow down, wait when appropriate.

And then you’ve got to hope for what the Giants and Manning have found during the past several weeks: luck.