How to Manage a High Performer - Spark Hire

How to Manage a High Performer - Spark HireNot too long ago Spark Hire discussed how to manage an under performer. We learned that communication is most important when dealing with an under performer on your team. It may be obvious that managing an under performer is a bit difficult, but did you ever think of how to properly manager a high performer? Right off the bat it seems as though a high performer is a managers dream. They get the job done, usually motivate others and keep the ball rolling in the company. However, if they are not managed correctly they could become very difficult and cause much stress and strain on you and the company.When you first think of a high performer you likely think, Great They are just what I need to get things going in the right direction for my team. That may be true, but high performers also have their own set of drawbacks. Since they are a high performer they may think they deserve special attention and are exempt from certain rules that others mu st follow. High performers are also prone to burnout, can hinder others progression and may set the bar too high for others. So you see, managing high performers isnt that piece of cake you thought it would be. The truth is, managing anyone isnt easy. Lets take a look at some of the things you can do though to make sure you are managing your high performer adequately.FeedbackWhen you have a high performer on your hands you need to be clear and careful with your feedback. Be sure that your desired outcome for their work is clear and that they know for sure what they are working towards. With a clear outcome, high performers will usually go above and beyond what is expected. However, if they do not know what is expected of them and the lines are fuzzy then it can be difficult. This goes for most workers, but high performers especially. Once they know what is expected of them, and you are clear on your desired outcome, step back and let them get to work. Micromanaging a high performer is one of the worst things you can do.If your high performing employee meets your set goals- and goes above an beyond as always- then be sure to show your appreciation for their hard work. High performers will likely need more than the cliched Employee of the Week title, so get creative. With a high performer, you need to put in a little bit more effort. Give them specific and public praise to encourage their hard work. When they really impress you, take them out to lunch or reward them with some sort of company gift. Before you say you cant afford it, know that employee appreciation doesnt have to equal out to dollar signs. Letting them leave early or come in late is a reward as well, and that is free. All employees need to be appreciated for their work and hard work must be recognized, but this is especially true for high performers. Keep this in mind.Make Sure They are Being ChallengedHigh performers need to be challenged. In fact, they live for it. This is the key to keeping hig h performers engaged with their work and keeping their high performance up. If they are bored, their performance levels will drop significantly and your high performer will no longer be a top performer. You need to make sure you are doling out challenging tasks and responsibilities to keep them busy. Be sure to lead them in the right direction and constantly look for ways to challenge their skills.Remember Your Other EmployeesThe exciting thing about having a high performer on your team is that they can positively motivate others on your team and in the department. However, having a high performer can also do quite the opposite how you manage them can make all the difference. As stated earlier, a drawback to having a high performer is that they may feel they are exempt from certain rules and feel as though they are above others in the office. As a manager or employer, you need to work against this. As stated in Your Performance Matters, you need to know when to give and take. Meanin g, you need to know when to let certain things slide with a high performer and when to catch them. For instance, if you have a high performer that constantly shows up late to meetings because they think they are privileged, then others will take offense to this. As a result, their performance levels may drop since they feel others are getting special treatment.Even though this rolle is a high performer, and a gem to your company, you still need to manage and control them. However, letting some things slide is important as well. As stated in Your Performance Matters, if you have a high performer and their office is messy, or not up to your particular standards, let it slide. Unless their office is a complete disaster, dont get on them about it. This goes for their work, too. Micromanaging is a huge no-no when it comes to high performers, so find that balance of give and take with them.Having a high performer on your team is great, and they can take your company above and beyond. Howe ver, you need to learn how to manage them successfully in order to get that high payout. Keep these tips in mind and push your high performer to the limit- avoiding burnout, of course.How do you keep your high performer motivated? Share with us in the comments section belowIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr by chicadecasa

10 Ways to Be More Confident at Work

10 Ways to Be More Confident at Work10 Ways to Be More Confident at Work Whether a bad days got you down, you dont love speaking up, or youre constantly playing the comparison game, chances are good that you could use an added dose of confidence at work.In some cases, decision-makers in any job setting put more stock in confidence than competence when theyre making picks for a promotion or filling out a performance review. Dont get overlooked or undervalued because youre elend projecting your best.Try behauptung ten bits of advice on how to effectively communicate, counter negativity, and generally how to gain confidence in the office and beyond.You know that nagging sense that youre not as good as the people around you and you got to where you are through luck or timing? Hopefully, you dont. But if you do, its called imposter syndrome and its extremely detrimental. Its especially common for women and minorities in largely male- and white-dominated industries, but no matter who you are, giving in to the feeling that youre not good enough is a surefire way to hold yourself back.To nip the terrible disease of imposter syndrome in the bud, catch yourself when you think those damaging thoughts, and counter each one with a compliment to yourself. When people give you praise, accept it politely, and dont doubt whether you deserve it. Act confident, and be confident.Demonstrating a positive attitude- even if your pet just died- and showing resilience- even if you just got yelled at- are two ways to come across well among people you work with. And heres a secret projecting positivity and showing that nothing gets to you are great ways to become more positive and actually not let anything get to you.Pay attention to how youre coming across in interactions with coworkers and especially bosses. Try to control your facial expressions, body language , the words you use, even your tone of voice. Some blend of polite, engaged, motivated, willing to help, and interested in the conversation should add up to a strong vibe of confidence.If you mentally take a step back from time to time and observe your behavior, you can make adjustments to make sure youre coming across just how you want to.Speak in a clear and level voice and choose your words deliberately. Company buzzwords are a good bet, but avoid irritating workplace no-nos . Body language is important, too posture, polite head nods, and other ways of showing youre engaged.We think eliminating likes and ums goes without saying, but there, we just said it. Now you have no excuse.When youre trying to boost your confidence game, if you take it a step too far, you could wind up in cocky territory. Shades of difference are key here when you get praise, respond with a humble thank you the team worked really hard, not I knew my ideas would pay off. The difference between confidence and arrogance can be a fine line, but once you see someone doing the latter, youll know its not a good look.A da ily to-do list can help you keep track of what you accomplish on an everyday basis. A list of big projects (and even minor wins) can remind you of those successes- which, incidentally, will also come in handy if you need to update your resume or apply for a new job.If you identify your strengths, its harder to get bogged down thinking about your weaknesses. Having an extra dismal day? List the skills you know set you apart (or better yet, make the list on a day when everythings going your way so you can return to it when things arent so bright). After all, even if the project youre working on seems like it cant be solved by those abilities, or if youre in a really low state of mind, reminding yourself of your past accomplishments and top skills should both boost your mindset and get you on track.Yeah, we just said to focus on your strengths and not get bogged down thinking about your weaknesses. However, if you identify areas for improvement, you can be aware of potential issues and areas where you might need to ask for help. Work to get better in those areas so that you can turn them into strengths.Build on the strengths list from tip No. 7. Use it for a reminder of the big projects youve completed. Create a file (some call it a kudos doc) of emails, performance reviews, and emails or notes from others referring to things you achieved.Or, create tactics to cheer yourself up, like a favorite song, animal picture, or music video of Christopher Walken dancing like a maniac (and occasionally flying). Hey, hes not the best dancer, but you cant deny hes got confidence. Channel that.The good little things, that is. If you let a passive aggressive email ruin your day, well, you clearly need to go back and read this from the beginning. But if someone passes you in the hall and says nice presentation yesterday, hold onto the good feeling you get from that all day. If you allow the little bits of positive feedback- whether from others or your own sense of a job well done- to grow into something big, then youll gain the confidence you deserve bit by bit.And in the end, the more you act confident, the more youll be confident . So go out, paste on a smile, fix your posture, kill any negative thought that pops into your head, and constantly tell yourself that youve got this. Try it out by the end of the day, youll realize that you really do.This article was originally published on Grammarly . It is reprinted with permission.