Managing your star performers should be no sweat, right? After all, they’re delivering results and exceeding targets. But don’t think you can just get out of their way and let them excel. They require just as much attention as everyone else. How do you manage someone who is knocking it out of the park? How do you keep stars excited about their work? And what risks should you watch out for?
How to Manage Your Star Employee
Having a supremely talented employee on your team is a boss’s dream. But it can be a challenge, too. Here are four tips for managing someone who’s knocking it out of the park.
Develop. Ask your superstar: Which job do you want next? And how can I help you get it? Then, find ways to help her acquire new skills and get exposure to other parts of the organization.
Offer autonomy. Give your top performer discretion over how she works. Expand her capacity for leadership by giving her training and mentoring responsibilities.
Coach. Help your star understand that she can’t assume she knows everything. Provide opportunities for her to learn the power of collaboration.
Make sure the workload is reasonable — for everyone. To avoid burnout, analyze what’s on your star’s plate and identify which tasks can be removed. Also consider the group’s workload. Superstars are pacesetters and sometimes others struggle to keep up.