High performers are the backbone of any successful organisation. Understanding how to harness their potential can elevate your entire team's performance to new heights.
Fostering an environment that enables high-performing employees to excel naturally enhances employee engagement and productivity within your team. The strategies that keep your high-performing staff in the Achievement Zone (or high-performance zone) are the same ones that maintain your team in that zone.
Achievement Zone teams operate at the intersection between high psychological safety and high accountability. These teams are led by a leader who believes in their people - both challenging and supporting employees (and colleagues) to do their best work for the benefit of the organisation. The result is high levels of employee engagement, innovation and successful outcomes.
Discover the defining characteristics of high performers and how to identify them
Learn how to set and communicate clear goals and expectations within your team
Explore effective feedback and recognition strategies to motivate high achievers
Understand the importance of investing in continuous learning and career development
Uncover the benefits of fostering a supportive and trust-based work environment
Enable freedom of thought and autonomy
The world of high performers is fascinating, filled with individuals who consistently push boundaries and surpass expectations. But what exactly makes someone a high performer? It's not just about working hard; it's about working smart, staying resilient, and constantly seeking growth. High performers are those who bring innovation to the table, adapt swiftly to changes, and maintain a proactive approach to problem-solving.
High performers are a breed apart, often exceeding expectations with their outstanding results. They are characterised by an insatiable drive for personal and professional growth, constantly pushing the envelope to achieve more. These individuals possess a unique blend of traits, including resilience and adaptability, which enable them to thrive in challenging situations. Their proactive attitude towards problem-solving and innovation sets them apart from the crowd.
Moreover, high performers are not just about individual brilliance. They hone their skills and experience to contribute significantly to team success. They think more deeply about projects or issues making their exceptional qualities and abilities invaluable assets to any organisation. Whether it's their ability to navigate complex projects, uncover unmet customer needs or fostering collaboration, high performers always find ways to elevate the performance of those around them.
Top performers also tend to be higher in self awareness and make regular time to review their strengths and weaknesses over a short amount of time.
Not only that high performers really care. They really care about undertaking their responsibilities at a high level and creating positive outcomes. This means they can often work really hard becoming vulnerable to burnout. This is particularly pronounced when they are young and their identity is anchored in their work.
In the workplace, high performers stand out for their consistent contributions and unwavering commitment to team goals. They often take the lead, setting an example for others with their dedication and enthusiasm. Managers notice that these individuals continuously seek feedback to improve, demonstrating a willingness to learn and grow. Their strong interpersonal skills enable them to build positive relationships, inspiring others to follow suit.
High performers are not just about achieving personal milestones; they are team players who understand the value of consistent effort towards collective success. They are often incredibly loyal to their boss and the company (when supported) - challenging others to lift their game. Their positive outlook and achievements serve as a testament to their hard work and dedication. Recognition of their efforts is crucial, as it reinforces their commitment and encourages others to strive for excellence.
If you are lucky enough to have recruited high performers to your workforce, you want to do everything you can to keep them.
Various studies have found that's what is crucial to reducing turnover is ensuring people feel like they are seen, valued and heard. People need to feel like they matter, especially high performing staff.
One of the interesting things about top performers is that impact is really important to them. When you talk to them, they mention phrases like "making a difference," "feeling valued" or "impact making."
A strong relationship with their boss is important to them. They want to feel that you support them in improving their capabilities and that you notice how important high productivity and quality work means to them. Here are some tips to support your high performers.
Feedback and recognition are powerful motivators for high performers. They thrive in environments where their efforts are acknowledged and valued. Constructive feedback and timely recognition can make all the difference in maintaining motivation and driving continuous improvement.
Ensure you schedule regular time with your high performers to encourage them to share with you what's going on for them. Encourage them to show you where they are stuck, where they have made progress and their thoughts about particular issues. Typically, top talent feel hurt when under-performers get most of the attention from their boss. Ensure you have some sort of daily interaction with them so that they feel appreciated, supported and noticed.
Importantly, ensure you have set SMART goals with them. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals provide the clarity and direction that high performers need to excel. By defining key performance indicators with precision, you create a clear path for them to follow.
Furthermore, articulate your expectations about tasks, so that employees know what key performance indicators good and bad look like. By fostering a culture of transparency and trust, you create an environment where open dialogue thrives and that you value their opinion.
One of the stand-out features of a high performer is that they actively seek out feedback. Providing them with bland feedback such as "You did really well" isn't enough for them. In my experience, I have found that top performers value specific, actionable feedback that enhances their performance.
Typically, high -performing employees can handle difficult feedback more easily than average employees. Don't be afraid to provide them with prompt and regular feedback. By fostering open dialogue and providing constructive criticism, you empower high performers to reach their full potential.
High performers are also more likely to enjoy performance reviews because it gives them more formal recognition that helps them navigate their course.
Recognition is a powerful tool for motivating high performers and reinforcing desired behaviours. Timely recognition acknowledges achievements and boosts morale, creating a sense of accomplishment and pride. Tailored rewards demonstrate appreciation for individual contributions, highlighting the value they bring to the team.
Let other senior leaders know how you high performers are going. Top performers thrive in environments where their efforts are acknowledged, and their positive attitude is celebrated. Recognition programs and incentives encourage high performers to continue pushing boundaries and achieving remarkable results.
Investing in employee development is a win-win strategy for organisations and high performers alike. Continuous learning and career development opportunities empower individuals to reach their full potential while driving innovation and growth within the organisation.
Put your high performers in the driving seat to work out what they need to learn to improve their skills and aim for professional growth opportunities. Encourage them to fill out their career development plans to align their aspirations with organisational objectives and provide a clear growth pathway.
Sometimes professional growth opportunities are not available. Help them to be patient with this and demonstrate to them what you are doing behind the scenes to advocate them to the powers that be.
Supportive leadership plays a crucial role in encouraging high performers to pursue professional growth. By fostering a culture of mentorship and providing opportunities for career advancement, you empower high performers to reach new heights.
High performers are always on the lookout for opportunities to expand their skills and knowledge. Organisations that provide access to diverse learning resources benefit from a more engaged and innovative workforce. Continuous learning fosters a culture of growth and keeps high performers engaged and motivated.
Skills development and training programs are essential components of a learning culture. By offering development plans and growth opportunities, you align individual aspirations with organisational goals.
Work with your high performer to see if they would like to be a manager in the near future. Explain to them what skills and traits they would need together with your professional expectations. Mentor them to achieve this career milestone. Consider a leadership development program such as Tribe of Trusted Leaders to help them on their career journey.
Work with them to understand how to inspire fellow employees and when to be patient with average performers who need more time than they do to finish tasks.
A positive work environment is the foundation of high performance. It supports employee wellbeing, work-life balance, and fosters a culture of trust and support. High performers thrive in a workplace culture that prioritise health, wellness, and collaboration.
In the book, The Microstress Effect, the authors studied high performers and found that those who are best-in-class live rich, multidimensional lives. Top performers know that negative interactions have a disproportionately large impact on their well-being. To compensate for this, they have learnt to put in strong boundaries to reduce negative interactions with others, as well as have a small group of friends to support them in tough times. The secret of high performers is that they structure their lives to have deeper connections with others focusing on experiencing happiness today, not in the distant future.
This process occurs over time with high performers learning the importance of taking time out to exercise and looking after their health, as well as connecting with others. They schedule in informal conversations with those who uplift them - sharing mutual interests, or just briefly seeing the world from another perspective.
With that in mind, here are some more tips to help your high performing team members:
Research has found that leaders who promote positive energy have a significant impact on innovation, organizational performance and employee satisfaction. This necessitates leaders who focus on maintaining a positive, energetic demeanour to keep their team motivated, even during challenging times.
This involves having a strong belief that things will work out, no matter what happens. It’s about believing that together, as a team, you’ll be able to solve challenges and forge a path forward. It means accepting that things will go wrong, but you don’t let negative events derail you.
High performers are more likely to have a positive outlook. When they beat themselves up about their performance, let them know that you believe they have the skills, talents, and qualities to figure things out. Remind them of past achievements, attributes and encourage other team members to also recognise their abilities. Encourage them to go easy on themselves and to patiently wait for opportunities to open up. If you haven't got the bandwidth to keep them motivated, pair them up with a performance coach to help them kick goals in a sustainable manner.
A positive work environment supports employee wellbeing and balance.
Young high performers are especially more likely to burn out and reduce their social connections. Remind them to leave work early when they have been working long hours and to take off a full weekend. Encourage them to attend social networking events both at work and externally.
In one team that I worked with, the team leader kept encouraging his high performers to have fun. It seems simple, but in their quest to get things done, they had lost touch with what makes them happy. His simple reminders in team meetings, and living that ethos himself, helped realign his team to reconnect to the joy both in work and life.
Leaders build trust through consistent actions and open communication, creating an environment where employees feel valued and supported. Supportive cultures encourage collaboration and risk-taking, empowering high performers to excel.
Partnering top performers with seasoned mentors can offer valuable guidance and support. Mentors can impart their experiences, give advice on managing particular situations, and serve as a sounding board for new managers as they navigate their roles.
High performers thrive in environments where trust and support are prioritised. By fostering teamwork and collaboration, you create a culture that values relational abilities and empowers individuals to reach their full potential.
Top performers love to have the personal agency to do more things, find opportunities to improve, work with others in the business and have the ability to shape their work experience.
Where you can, increase their decision-making authority, ability to suggest productivity improvement opportunities and reduce red tape. Regularly ask their opinion about trends that they have noticed or their ideas about a new concept.
Collaboration and communication are the cornerstones of high-performing teams. By fostering open dialogue and encouraging teamwork, you create an environment where high performers can thrive.
High performers need to know that their coworkers aren't letting them down. Team building activities strengthen relationships and enhance team cohesion. among coworkers.
Team bonding and cohesion are essential components of a high-performing team. By investing in team dynamics and fostering team alignment, you create an environment where high performers can thrive.
High performers enjoy meetings that are time efficient and help everyone to get on the same page. After all, even average performers love to be on a winning team that's going places.
Create healthy workplace habits around meetings that ensure people know what's going on and encourage a positive demeanour among teammates.
Teams benefit from open channels of communication for sharing ideas, listening to one another and fostering collaboration. Encourage open, constructive debate in your teams. High performers appreciate clear, concise, and timely communication, enabling them to stay aligned with team objectives.
Ensuring your high performers can thrive requires creating a team environment that champions autonomy, open communication, regular feedback and a supportive team.
Your top performers want to be valued - otherwise they will leave. Follow these practices to not only create an organization where you top performers can thrive, but also all of your employees.
To motivate your team to perform at a higher level, you can set clear goals, provide regular feedback, offer rewards and recognition for achievements, encourage collaboration and teamwork, and invest in their professional development.
To improve communication within a high-performing team, you can hold regular team meetings, encourage open and honest dialogue, use collaboration tools for remote teams, provide constructive feedback, and ensure that everyone understands their role and responsibilities.
To identify and nurture high performers within your team, you can look for employees who consistently exceed expectations, show initiative and leadership qualities, demonstrate a strong work ethic, and are willing to take on new challenges. Once identified, provide them with opportunities for growth and development, mentorship, and recognition for their contributions.
Leadership plays a crucial role in elevating a team's performance by setting a clear vision and direction, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment, providing support and guidance to team members, leading by example, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. You can read more in this article, How to Lead an Achievement Zone Team.
To create a culture of high performance within your team, you can lead by example, set high standards and expectations, provide regular feedback and recognition, encourage collaboration and teamwork, promote a growth mindset, and invest in training and development opportunities for your team members.