Keeping a Top Performer
by Neil I. Clark
Top performers can be hard to come by. And when you have one, you
know only too well that they are an incredibly valuable asset in
your organisation. Here are some simple tips that will help you retain
these valuable assets.
Grow or Go
Top performer wants to see their world getting bigger, with more
things to challenge them every day. If they don’t see this,
they will eventually leave.
The most likely reason you employed them in the first place was
they felt stifled or limited in their previous position. They probably
saw your organisation as an opportunity to expand their horizons,
so they jumped aboard. You need to be acutely aware, however, that
the same thing applies today. If they feel they are not growing sufficiently
with you, they will look around again for more challenge.
The best strategy is to keep the game interesting for them. If they
feel their capabilities are always being challenged, if they feel
they are being stretched to the limit. T hey will stay with you.
Different Types of Growth
"Growth", to some top performers, can only mean rapid
promotion to the highest levels within the organisation structure.
But this is rare. There are actually two categories or situations
here:
- Promotion to higher levels.
- Expansion with the job.
Some top performers are definitely in the first category. If they
cannot see themselves getting to the top of your organisation within
a reasonable time, they will simply consider your job as a stepping
stone along the way. Sooner or later they will leave you for bigger
things. This can be a tough one, particularly if there truly is nowhere
else for them to go in your structure. Sometimes, however, you can
satisfy their need to grow by expanding their role, but other times,
the best you can do is be thankful for the time they were with you.
Of course, this assumes that the person really is a top performer,
and not simply someone with delusions of grandeur. It’s easy
to tell the difference, by the way. Do they get results?!
Thankfully, most top performers fall into the second category. They
really don’t have aspirations of becoming the Managing Director
next week. But they do seek the challenge of expansion within their
own sphere. And there are some things you can do to ensure that these top performers remain with you.
Expanding Their Role
When you have someone who is producing results and is obviously
very effective, you need to look at how you can give them more responsibility.This
can come in many forms, for example:-
1. Give Them Support
If they are already getting great results in what they currently
do, you will get more productivity out of them by giving them support.
In Sales, for instance, an inexpensive support person can make a
huge difference.
It also expands the role of the top performer and keeps them growing.
2. Get Strategic Planning Ideas
A person who is really doing well in their job can be relied upon
to have a good grasp of their area. They know what is going on in
real world terms.
It is therefore very valuable to get their input when you are looking
at the strategic direction of your operation. Senior managers rarely
have time to get involved at all levels. They can therefore lose
touch, jeopardising the veracity of long term decisions. Seeking
input from effective employees can overcome this, whilst also validating
those employees (the top performers) and giving them the sense of
expanded responsibility they need.
3. Move Them to a New Area
If it is appropriate to move them into a brand new area, this too
can be a way to keep them "growing". Part of the game here
is to get them to ensure their old area does not collapse when they
leave it. It’s all part of the challenge. (See earlier article
on "Orienting a New Employee")
Be careful to take account of the top performer’s specific
skills and abilities. If the new area is too
different, and they
are not equipped to handled it, they may well fail. Just because
a javelin thrower wins gold does not automatically mean they would
do well on the cycle track or over the pole vault!
This is most clearly recognisable in the move from non-people management
to people management. The Sales Representative who is promoted to
Sales Manager ("because they did so well at selling") can
sometimes fail because they don’t have the people management
skills. A better solution is sometimes to give them a bigger territory
or tougher clients.
4. Involve Them in Staff Training
When an employee has become so good at their job that they just
keep on producing top class results, month after month, they really
do have something to offer other staff — both new and old.
Getting such people involved in training is not only a good way
to transfer some of their skills to others, it is also a great way
to acknowledge the top performer. It also usually helps to satisfy
their need to expand their sphere of responsibility.
The New Challenge
When an effective employee gets so good at their job that it is
easy for them and the results come pouring in, watch out!
If you have someone who has taken such good control of their job
that:-
- It all flows through without a hitch...
- They achieve their targets time after time, with little or no
effort...
- They are so much in control that nothing ever goes wrong...
...it’s time to give them a new challenge. If you don’t,
they will start looking around for that next mountain to climb. And
if you don’t have one for them, they may look elsewhere.
Ask them what they need to build their
area up. This puts that next
mountain in your back yard!
Beware of Sparks
One of the characteristics of a top performer is that, because they
are so results-oriented, anything which gets in their way will earn
their wrath. This can sometimes cause "sparks". You really
know it when a top performer is being stopped from performing. And
if such situations are not handled, this is another reason why they
will eventually leave you.
You have to do some careful differentiation here, however. When
you have a conflict or problem which is causing those sparks, look
at the people involved, and measure their value by the results they achieve.
Placement of a Top Performer
If you are about to hire a top performer, or if you are about to
move one in your organisation, look carefully at the manager of that
area. If that manager is not also a top performer, you may not get
the most out of the placement.
It could be said that the opposite of a top performer is a person
who holds their position purely because of their "status".
They have the right degree, or they have "seniority", but
that’s all they have. If there are no effective results coming
from their area, the "status" doesn’t matter. Putting
a top performer into such a person’s operation will stifle
the new person and you will eventually lose them.
Conclusion
Top performers are hard enough to find. It is worth that extra effort
to ensure that you retain them for as long as possible.
- Expand their role.
- Keep them challenged
- Place them correctly.
And if you need any help in finding top performers, give us a call.
We’re experts at it, and we don’t pull any punches!
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