From their go-get-em attitude to fixing problems before they land on your desk, managing a top performer can feel like a breeze. They don’t require constant supervision or difficult conversations to correct their poor performance, which others on your team may require. With this, it may be tempting to think they need the least amount of management on your team.
However, this assumption needs to be corrected. Yes, these top performers at work don’t need the oversight others may need, but they do need certain things from you to keep them engaged and motivated. Moreover, they are highly sought-after by other companies in a competitive talent pool, so if you’re not proactive with providing them the leadership they crave, rest assured, someone else will.
If you’re looking for tips and ideas for high-performance management, you’ve come to the right place.
With data showing that the top 5% of employees produce an incredible 26% of a company’s output, these precious high-performers require different leadership, development, and recognition to keep them engaged, motivated, and wanting to stay at your company. So here’s what they want from you, their leader.
Nothing frustrates a top performer more than a leader who micromanages them. These individuals are self-motivated by the work itself and want to decide how and when their work is completed. They also need to feel that their leader trusts them, their skills, and their judgment.
However, the flip side is that high-performers are inspired to act, and when they feel empowered by their leader, they may get in over their head by making decisions way above their level. So, to grant them the autonomy they crave, you’ll need to set clear expectations and boundaries of when they’re free to decide the course of action and when you need to be involved.
With their self-motivation and internal drive, your top performers at work are more likely to have difficulty stepping away from their work, taking breaks, and turning it off. They are also most likely to be the ones that get put on the most challenging assignments, take on the lion's share of the work in their teams, and be sought-after for special projects from top management.
Part of high-performance management is watching for signs of burnout and helping top performers avoid it. In his article for HBR, Matt Plummer shared three ways leaders can help their top performers:
High-performance management requires being a great listener. However, this may be hard, as your top performers can be the most vocal critics on your team, pinning them as being difficult or undermining leaders. It’s not that they don’t respect your leadership; their motivations are genuine, and they believe their ideas can strengthen the team.
When they feel heard, and their feedback, ideas, and input are valued, they will continue communicating their thoughts, which is critical to their engagement. Alternatively, they will stop sharing when they feel their input holds no value and begin to look for a new role where their feedback is valued and actioned.
When we think of holding someone accountable, it is for those not meeting their deliverables or performance goals. Yet, defining accountabilities for top performers is just as important (if not more) than for your less accountable team members. High achievers thrive when they have defined accountabilities. They want clearly defined expectations to achieve goals and contribute. In addition, their accountabilities deliver meaning to their work, keeping them engaged and motivated.
We’re familiar with exit interviews to understand why someone is leaving and what can change to retain employees. However, it is too late when leaders have this conversation. Gallup suggests that leaders should have “stay conversations” to get feedback on what is keeping top performers and, in turn, shape a leader’s approach. They said, “Great managers ask - on a regular basis - why their employees stay. It's an important question because the answer is different for each person and because the answers can surprise you.”
They recommend that leaders use this information to shape the culture around the feedback from high-performers, “Too often, organizational cultures form around what average performers want. The result? More average performers apply, get hired, and stay. High performers may even stay away.”
While you may think managing employee performance is only for those not meeting expectations, going through the performance management cycle with your top performers is also incredibly important. High-performers thrive when they have defined goals to achieve, receive ongoing coaching, feedback, and mentoring, and receive rewards and recognition for their contributions.
High-performers need a personalized development plan that is tailored to their career path, the skills, and the experience they want to build and gives them the opportunities and access they need to reach their full potential. Involving them in the process of deciding on their development and co-creating a plan together will go far in building a trusting relationship. Moreover, it gives you an opportunity to learn what they want to help you coach and mentor them in pursuit of their goals.
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