How To Manage Rockstar Employees

Aaron Sansoni - How To Manage Rockstar Employees

How To Manage Rockstar Employees

560 315 Aaron Sansoni

Having a team full of rockstars is a fantastic feeling. They do their work and they do it well, leaving you free to deal with issues better-suited to your leadership role. But what happens when your rockstars performers expect star treatment?

While it may be tempting to give your top-grade employees whatever they want to keep them happy, it’s actually quite detrimental to your company. Special treatment could cause other employees to feel resentment…something you don’t want if you’re struggling to keep them motivated in their first place. So, your best bet is to effectively manage your rockstar. Luckily, there are a few tactics you can employ to ensure you’re getting to most out of both parties.

Do Not Reinforce Bad Behavior
Rockstars often believe that they are exempt from several rules because of their value to you and the company. They may show up late, take longer lunches, or skirt corners. This is unacceptable. Hold them to the same standards as the rest of the team.

Do Not Make Exceptions In Front Of The Team
Similarly, top-performers are more likely to ask for favors or exceptions after exceeding a large goal or exhibiting an above-average performance. While it is acceptable to reward positive behavior in front of the other team members, it is never okay to grant these requests in public. In fact, I’d strongly recommend not granting them at all but every situation is different and you’ll need to evaluate on a case-by-case basis. Just be sure to evaluate and respond in private.

Build a 1-on-1 Relationship
You want to create a certain level of respect between you and your rockstar employees to keep them both motivated and engaged. Building a strong relationship is the first step in establishing that respect. It’s not enough to acknowledge their wins in public. You need to take the time to have meaningful conversations in a 1-on-1 environment. It doesn’t have to be daily, but it should be regularly.

Use Them For Training
Unfortunately, the reality of over-performing employees is that they are likely to leave you eventually. Their strong track record makes them ideal candidates for bigger, better positions. This means it is imperative that you get use them to improve the performance and knowledge-base of other team members. Ask if they’re willing to be a mentor or let others shadow their day-to-day activities. Every rockstar you employ should be training the next rockstar in preparation for their inevitable departure.

These are just a few of the tactics you can use to manage your top-level performers on a daily basis. What’s most important is that you set the standard at the start. Find out how to set and maintain standards, as well as how to effectively employ other team management strategies, in my Sales Leadership Mastery course.