Many leaders habitually focus on worst performers in their teams and sometimes may neglect their top performers slightly. Many leadership experts argue that we should spend at least half of our energy, time and effort on coaching and if possible, enhance our top performers. This should be a good thing to do, because top performers could represent much of productivity in the team.
There are some practical and tangible ways to shift our time and focus to our top performers. Whatever we do, it is important to help our top performers to grow further:
1. Treat them as valuable employee:
Many leaders would agree that top performers are simply irreplaceable and they are very valuable to the organization. We should treat them as our prized possessions. As leaders, we should know who top performers in our team are. This may allow us to focus on the right individuals. While even the lowest-ranking individual in our team are also valuable, we should be aware that top performers are extra valuable. We should treat them this way and without them, the rest of the team may not have people who they can consider as benchmarks.
2. Learn from their aspirations and goals:
Top performers are special. They have unique goals and aspirations that set them apart from the rest of the team. We should know what motivate them and what career path they may have in mind. We should know what their experiences and skills are. If not, it is important to find them out. Our genuine interest towards them should go far in establishing respect and trust for these people. In addition, any information we obtain, should help us to develop, mentor and coach other people in the team.
3. Appreciate them:
It is important to appreciate top performers and show this to them. They should know that we treat them as valuable individuals. When they make something useful, we should appreciate their efforts. We should give them genuine feedbacks on their results and performance. We should provide advices and communicate our opinions in a specific and meaningful way.
4. Focus on their strength:
Top performers have special strengths that make them really good at what they do. In reality, top performers are also very much aware of their shortcomings and weaknesses. This allows them to compensate and prevent their weaknesses from getting in the way.
5. Provide adequate skills, tools and resources:
Top performers can’t work well on their own and they will perform much better if we support them. We should provide them with available resources to help them use their potentials to the fullest. We should determine what obstacles they may encounter. We need to help them remove these, by providing training, tools and set of skills that can propel them forward
6. Give challenges:
Top performers always challenge themselves and they are also willing to accept challenges. Challenges can help us to grow further and top performers will love to take this opportunity.
About: Author is an employee of reputed seo services company. He’s likes blogging on internet marketing, small business tips and Finance.