Start the New Year off right. Focus on the people
who make your operation work -- your star
performers. To begin, identify who they are. They
could include the engineer who can solve any
technical problem that comes up; or the sales person
who, without any fanfare, beats his/her goals every
time;
or the first line supervisor whose shifts run like a top.
Whoever they are, identify them and begin to focus
your energy on them. Remember, your stars are
the ones who generate more productivity, better
service and new ideas, and they usually do it without
upsetting the organization and you. Unfortunately,
in many organizations it's the nonperformer who
usually gets all the attention. You know who they are.
They're the ones who cause you all the problems, zap
all your precious energies; and who ultimately cost
you a bundle in lost productivity, wasted time, or high
workers' compensation costs. These are the folks
who if they left the organization tomorrow, everyone
would breathe a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, they
never seem to go without being asked.
Take care of your star performers and smother
them with recognition, pay, opportunities, and
flexibility. So how do you do it?
1. Develop them. Identify their strengths and
build upon them. Recognize that they also have some
weaknesses, so address them. Work with them.
Create a performance program designed to move
them to the next level of higher performance.
Train them, challenge them and give them diverse
work experiences, ongoing mentoring and
coaching. Invest heavily in them. They are the future.
Make them your priority.
2. Pay them well. Merit budgets for 2008 will
be around 3.5%. Most companies will make sure
every employee receives the same amount. Why?
Why would you pay a star the same amount you
would pay an average or mediocre employee? It
makes no sense. Give the star 7% and the poor
performer nothing. Send a clear message to
everyone: stars will be treated better and the rest
of you need to perform like stars in order to be paid
that way. Now, that means some of your marginal
people may call foul and may even quit. If that
happens, so be it.
3. Provide your stars new opportunities and lots of
flexibility. Study after study reports that you must
continuously challenge your stars to keep them
happy. Give them new assignments. Put some
stretch
in them and then watch them blossom. They'll be
happier and more engaged, and you and the
organization will be the beneficiaries of their new
success. At the same time, be cognizant of their
personal needs. Be flexible with them and never
micromanage them.
4. Lavish them with earned praise.
Sometimes stars are taken for granted. They're so
dependable, do whatever needs to be done, and often
operate under the radar. Take some time to recognize
them for what they do and thank them for their
contribution. It doesn't take much and it goes a long
way.
While it is important to focus on your stars, think
about what would happen if you lost one. Could
someone immediately step into that person's shoes?
Losing a key performer could happen in an instant, so
you should have a plan in place to address it.
Retention must be every manager's responsibility,
but every organization must also have a succession
plan in place. An ongoing succession planning
program focused on training, coaching and evaluating
your staff is key to organizational success. Small
organizations may not have the luxury of having a back-
up for every position, but every organization must have
a plan. Every organization must be proactive about
developing their people.
Developing, nurturing and retaining your star
performers are key to your success. Make 2008
the year you focus on them. Without them, you'll
wallow in the darkness of the nonperformers.
