According to an SAP study, the majority of high performers are dissatisfied with their jobs—and one in five are likely to leave in the next six months. If you underestimate what it takes to manage high performers, you risk losing them to your competitors.
It’s a huge responsibility.
On the upside, if you manage high performers, you’re paving the way for your organization’s strongest talent. By strategically helping these professionals grow and expand their already immense potential, you can have an impact at the highest level.
Of course, managing high performers is also a complex balancing act—understanding their unique mindsets to meet their expectations, providing support while giving them autonomy, and recognizing their contributions without alienating the rest of the team. It’s not always easy. But when you master the art of managing high performers, your company (and your career) will reap the benefits.
If you lead high performers, assess your skills in this area by answering the following questions:
· Do you work to understand the expectations and challenges of your high performers?
· Do you allow them to isolate themselves or do you purposefully keep them integrated with the rest of the team?
· Do you find ways to keep them challenged and engaged?
· Do you let them slide on paperwork and protocol because of their high production?
· Do you continue to motivate and encourage them?
· Do you know their long-term career goals and support them in moving toward those?
I will admit, during my years as a leader, I often thought that my high performers didn’t require as much attention as their counterparts. That may have been true in some cases, but I quickly learned that high performers can present their own set of challenges.
These mega producers may think they are exempt from the rules and deserve special attention. They often have a higher burn-out rate. In some cases, these high performers may take on a condescending attitude with their colleagues, and they can easily become frustrated if their careers aren’t progressing as quickly as they expect.
The truth is, managing high performers can take as much energy and effort as it does to manage underperformers. And it might even be more important. Retaining your high performers, keeping them satisfied, and grooming them for increased levels of success is an enormous job.
To achieve the best results, approach this task with a customized strategy: focus on their development, keep them challenged, make a conscious effort to remove unnecessary roadblocks, and demonstrate a sincere interest in their career progress.
When you intentionally protect your high performers from fizzling out, you and your company will continue to enjoy the rewards of their superior production.
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To learn more about this topic, I invite you to enroll in my new course on LinkedIn Learning and Lynda.com called Managing High Performers.
Managing high performers gives you an opportunity to pave the way for some of your organization's strongest talent. By strategically helping these professionals grow and expand their responsibilities, you can have a significant impact on the future of your organization. In this course, leadership expert Sara Canaday equips you with innovative strategies for successfully managing—and retaining—your most exceptional employees. Sara familiarizes you with the mindset and motivations of high performers, so that you can use this knowledge to meet their expectations and provide them with the appropriate level of support and development.
Keynote Speaker & Leadership expert, Sara Canaday works with clients to help them accelerate their careers and enhance their leadership impact. Sara is the author of the business book, “You--According To Them: Uncovering the blind spots that impact your reputation and your career.
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