Strategy for Reducing EUI on Projects: the Middle 70%

Friends, I reviewed the firm's 2019 AIA 2030 data with a Principal, having organized the data in such a way that we could manipulate it. I included the average EUI and weighted EUI, since the latter gives a truer picture of where we are as a studio. In the past, the assumption was we would raise all boats with efforts to improve our practice in early stage or schematic design. This Principal suggested an alterntive strategy: look at the middle 70% of projects i.e. not the highest or lowest in EUI, and target the responsible project teams and Principals for interventions. We still have laggards in the firm, and those who claim "our clients made us do it." I'm curious what others make of this strategy and if you've had success with tactics to support something like this.