The 10x Contributor Is a Myth. Here’s What to Build Instead.
You’ve seen it in job descriptions.
You’ve heard it in interviews.
Maybe you’ve even said it yourself:
“We’re looking for a 10x engineer.”
“We only hire A-players.”
“That person’s a rockstar. A total unicorn.”
But here’s the thing: the whole 10x mindset?
It’s a myth. And worse—it’s a dangerous one.
In Episode 13 of Leadership Explored, we dig deep into the origins of the “10x contributor,” why it’s so appealing, and why chasing individual greatness often leads to underperforming teams, burnout, and blind spots for leaders.
🎧 Listen to Episode 13 – "10x: Rethinking Performance, Output & Impact"
leadershipexploredpod.com
Where the 10x Myth Comes From
The phrase “10x developer” traces back to research from the 1960s comparing the best and worst-performing programmers. But here's the catch:
🔍 The research was flawed
🧪 The sample size was tiny
📊 The results emphasized environment over individual brilliance
And yet somehow, decades later, we’re still clinging to this idea that one person can carry an entire team—10 times better, 10 times faster, 10 times the magic.
Why the Myth Persists
It’s easy to understand why leaders keep chasing 10x talent:
– It promises simplicity
– It sounds efficient
– It’s seductive as hell
But what looks like brilliance is often just ego, busyness, or chaos in disguise. We reward output (lines of code, hours logged, meetings attended) without asking the most important question:
Did any of it make things better?
The Real Cost of Hero Culture
Here’s what we’ve seen over the years—and heard from countless other leaders:
🚫 "10x" hiring leads to knowledge hoarding, team tension, and ego wars
🚫 It creates a toxic culture where asking questions feels unsafe
🚫 It turns leadership into talent-scouting, not system-building
Even when you do get a so-called 10xer, they often leave behind technical debt, frayed team dynamics, or a trail of burnout.
So What Actually Works?
We propose a different mindset: the 1.1x mindset.
What if every person on your team improved by just 10% each cycle?
What if the systems you built created compounding growth—without the heroics?
What if the real “10x” came from a team that worked together, trusted each other, and shared the load?
📈 Great teams aren't made of unicorns.
They’re made of glue people, quiet enablers, reliable collaborators, and leaders who build the conditions for success.
Let’s Redefine High Performance
We don’t need lone geniuses.
We need systems that multiply impact.
We need leaders who ask better questions.
We need teams that get just a little better, week after week.
Forget the 10x fantasy.
Start building a 10x team.
🎧 Listen to the episode here:
➡️ leadershipexploredpod.com
Or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube, Substack.
What do you think?
Have you worked in a culture obsessed with 10x?
Or seen someone quietly deliver massive impact without the spotlight?
👇 Hit reply or drop a comment—we’d love to hear your story.