In a recent strategic planning session, I stated admirably one of our employees is worth $1 million to our organization because of what he brings to our team and customers on a daily basis. It inspired a comment from a young manager, who said, “I want you to say that about me someday. I’m motivated to bring that kind of value to the company.” Since then, I’ve given a lot of thought to her statement. What makes an employee a high performer? What makes someone promotable? How would you coach your high-potential employees to be rock stars in their own rights?
Deliver outstanding performance
Most of us will spend our adult lives working, so why not commit to being really great at what you do? Outstanding performance goes beyond just producing quality, timely work and surpassing your agreed-upon performance goals. As described in the book “Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success,” top performers are experts in their jobs and focus on doing the right work that delivers the highest value to their teams and companies. Outstanding performance is also based on your perceived helpfulness. Do your co-workers see you as a team player who is ready to roll up your sleeves when they ask you for help? Outstanding performance means going the extra mile, looking for ways to do your job better and improving your team’s overall performance. And it means you are a great teammate.
Exhibit your company’s values
To be a rock star, you not only have to deliver results; you also have to live and breathe your company’s values. You may be talented and smart, but if you disregard the very things that are most important to the company, you may not be seen as a top performer. For example, if a core value of your company is teamwork and you blow off your teammates by not responding to emails, leave early when there is still work to be done or say “that’s not my job” when asked for help, you are not a rock star. If another value is agility and you live purely in the black and white and find it torturous to change directions in the middle of a project, it will be difficult for you to enjoy your job enough to be a rock star. Aligned values matter.
Have a positive, can-do attitude
There is almost nothing more important than your attitude. Be friendly, honest and helpful. Have a sense of humor, and don’t take yourself so seriously. This is especially important when the organization is stressed or going through change. How you handle your own stress when times are tough won’t go unnoticed, and rock star employees help others resist diving head-first into the downward spiral of negativity and fear.
Be candid and solution-focused
Keeping a positive attitude doesn’t mean you don’t bring up problems or express your feelings when you get frustrated or upset. Top performers are committed to communicating candidly. Speak with honesty, authenticity and directness, and always say what you mean rather than beating around the bush. Additionally, rock stars are committed to being part of the solution and not the problem, so they are solutions-focused in their communication.
Take feedback like a champ
Everyone needs feedback to grow as a teammate, employee and human being. If your goal is to be a top performer, you have to get good at receiving feedback, both good and bad. My very best employees appreciate feedback, handle it with grace and take action immediately. And if they react to it poorly, which all of us do from time to time, they take ownership of their reactions and apologize. Being a top performer isn’t easy to do. It takes commitment, feedback and effort, but it’s worth it. I will leave you with this quote from Woodrow Wilson: “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”
For more information, contact Kerry Siggins at kerry.siggins@stoneagetools.com. To read or sign up for her blog, visit www.kerrysiggins.com.
