Q. We are an established organization in the Gulf region and need your guidance on a specific matter. We have a few amazing performers in various departments and sometimes they tend to work alone and become isolated from the team. We need a way to bridge that gap and ensure that their talents are integrated with the rest of the team. Any advice on how we can manage these exceptional talents effectively? Thanks! – Nancy M., HR Manager A.
Hi Nancy! Every organization has a set of performers that exceed expectations. They are highly talented individuals, and we call them ‘star performers’. However, it often becomes difficult to handle these individuals effectively in a team. They might become isolated as a result of preferring to work alone or being favored by their boss. Most often than not, these star performers do amazing work alone, but are unable to produce the same kind of work in a group. The good news is that it’s possible for the two to co-exist. The process of integrating star performers with the rest of the team requires openness, good communication skills and appropriate direction from the management. HR experts at Bayt.com suggest the following ways for you to bridge the gap between your star performers and your team:
For a star performer to thrive in a team environment, it is important that the entire team is competent as well. Every team has a different mix of employees with both strengths and weaknesses. As a manager, you have to ensure that your team has the right balance of talent. Some members are introverted, but have an extensive eye for detail. Others are excellent at coordinating. Drawing out the strengths of each team member will take the spotlight away from star performers. As a result, everyone will get to shine. Also note that all star performers may not be natural leaders. They may be exceptional at meeting their KPIs, but may not be interested in leading a team. When choosing team leaders, you must recognize individuals who have the ability to bring out the best in others.
In a team, everyone is responsible, and favoring star performers is not advisable. When performance is not up-to-the-mark, everyone should be evaluated equally. Star performers should not feel like they can get away with mistakes just because they have been producing exceptional results so far. 80% professionals in the Middle East say their company has a fair evaluation system to measure job performance according to the ‘Employee Engagement in the MENA’ poll, April 2014. Every company should continue this trend and have a fair and equal appraisal system for everyone. An organization is only as good as its weakest link. Ensure that you spend the time and resources to develop all employees in your team. Doing this should nip any future problems in the bud. Be sure to recognize every person’s accomplishments no matter how little. Develop common awards for every employee. These practices will go a long way in nurturing the perfect team.
During appraisals, it is always advisable to keep a 360 degrees feedback system. This would include feedback from top management as well as colleagues. Doing this would ensure that every employee gets an honest picture of their performance from their entire team. Star performers would know where they are contributing, but also where they’re lagging behind in the eyes of their co-workers. 90% of professionals are attracted to companies that offer supportive and great work environments according to the ‘Employer Branding in the MENA’ poll, February 2014. In order to become a great place to work, you must develop honest communication and interpersonal skills among your team members to make them more productive. Keep a compassionate ear for any discrepancies faced by them. Help your team solve any issues by honestly sharing their problems with each other. This way, if anyone is feeling left out at least the team will know. Star performers might even help train their colleagues by sharing their knowledge, skills and expertise. I do hope these points will give you sufficient insight to tackle your problem in order to cultivate both ‘star performers’ and ‘star teams’!
