Managing a team brings together people with different backgrounds and work habits. Some employees meet what’s needed; others have trouble doing what the job requires. Then you have high performers. These workers stand out for going above and beyond what their roles require. They often help the team and make targets that seem tough possible. To manage high performers effectively, a leader must pay attention to and understand what drives these team members. Good management keeps top talent involved and helps the whole team move ahead. This guide shows ways to lead and support your high-performing employees carefully and clearly.
What is a High Performing Employee?
High performers stand out by doing more than their jobs require. You might notice they take on tough goals and often support others on their team. They don’t just finish tasks—they look for ways to improve things and want honest feedback to know if they’re headed in the right direction. If they have a setback, they usually get back on track, refocus, and keep working to make a difference others can see.
- They often shape their sense of identity around their achievements and results.
- They look for feedback and outside validation to understand their worth and progress.
- They are persistent and view setbacks as part of the path to success.
- They are motivated by reaching clear outcomes and seeing tangible results.
- They are willing to take calculated risks.
- They may enjoy working independently.
- They are drawn to ambitious and demanding objectives.
- They can stay focused on long-term goals while making steady progress toward short-term targets.
Everyone is different, but people recognized as high performers demand excellence and often demonstrate many of these characteristics.
What about Underperformers?
Not every employee works at the same pace or to the same standard. Underperformers have a hard time meeting expectations and may seem unmotivated or disconnected from what the job requires. Sometimes this happens when someone lacks skills, isn’t well matched to their position, or has issues outside of work that affect their performance.
Low performance doesn’t just impact their results – it can spread, leading other employees to feel less driven and slowing team progress. Managers will need to change their approach with low performers, often providing more support or clearer direction than when managing high performers.
What Drives High Performance in Top Performing Employees?
It helps to know what’s behind the strong drive of high performers. They don’t all care about the same things. Some want others to notice them or value success. Some people enjoy hard problems or new skills. Others link their best effort to clear rewards, like a bonus. Managers should talk to each high performer, listen, and figure out what interests them about their work. This can make it easier to keep top performers and help the group do better as a whole.
Status Seeker
Status seekers want others to see what they achieve. This type tries for big projects that will inevitably make them shine and stand out among their coworkers. Public praise grabs their attention. They enjoy moments when others in the workplace see how well they perform. Most status seekers look for chances to move up or earn new respect. They like seeing their role grow in the company. If you lead a status seeker, make the steps toward high status clear. This kind of motivation pushes them to keep exceeding expectations and set new targets.
Solution Finder
Solution Finders want to work on challenges that most people ignore. They spend time with tough tasks and stick it out until they find a way forward. Unlike others, they care less about praise and more about getting real answers for the business. They would rather work alone on a hard problem than seek credit. If you lead a solution finder, give them space to figure things out and trust their approach. Watching their ideas work in practice means a lot to them. This success keeps them aiming for what’s next.
Benefit Acquirer
Benefit acquirers value what they gain for their hard work. For them, extra pay, bonuses, or perks are a strong reason to work at a high level. These high performers pay close attention to remuneration and see a link between strong results and their earnings. Clear goals that connect actions to rewards are important for them to go the extra mile. When these systems are in place, benefit acquirers feel like their hard work gets recognized, which keeps them working hard and aiming higher.
Other Types
Not every high performer fits into one box. Some show their strengths by helping others learn, and it’s clear when they step up as mentors or jump in to support a teammate. Some people care most about building up their knowledge—they’ll say yes to new training or take on challenging projects to learn something different. These reasons for working hard aren’t always obvious or the same for everyone. If you lead a team, take time to really get to know each person’s motivation. When you learn why someone pushes themselves, you’ll be better at offering support that fits their career goals and helps them stay interested in the work.
Managing High Performing Employees
Managing high performers is different from managing the rest of your team. People who stand out like this expect high standards, not just for their work but in management too. If leaders disappoint, through poor leadership skills, these employees may decide to leave or put in less energy. What helps is a mix of real support, trust, and freedom to solve problems in their own way. Set up conditions where they can do what they do best, try new ideas, and keep reaching beyond what’s required. Avoid excessive oversight; most high performers don’t want to be micromanaged, and this space lets them really shine.
Leading High Performers
Once a high performer is in a role that fits both their abilities and your company’s real needs, what comes next is steady guidance. Good leaders won’t only assign tasks—they keep in close contact and make sure to observe what helps each person do better. Want those strong employees to stay and achieve even more? Build a working style where both the manager and the high performer speak up, listen, and keep instructions simple. This focus on honest and open communication means both sides know what to expect. When both contribute to this relationship, motivation stays high, and your best people remain connected to the company.
Working with high performers means you need to get a few basic things right. The way you handle these workers will set the tone for your overall results. Both managers and employees have important roles. Leaders should explain what needs to be done, pursue goals that truly matter, and always keep lines of communication open. When these basics are strong, it’s easier to build trust. If you want to get the best from high-performing employees, put these building blocks in place first. They lay the groundwork for true teamwork and strong results.
- Shared vision. You need a vision that genuinely motivates them, feels meaningful, and presents a real challenge. It should push them beyond the ordinary and give them something worthwhile to pursue.
- Mutual trust and respect. The goals you set and the responsibilities you assign should reflect their capabilities and expertise. Showing respect for their abilities encourages them to respect your leadership in return, building trust. It is important to maintain that trust, especially when difficulties arise.
- Open feedback. High performers expect honest and direct feedback. They tend to approach feedback analytically and may seem critical at times, but their aim is usually improvement. Your role is to support that process and guide their development.
- Inclusion and autonomy. Although high performers may enjoy working independently, they still look for recognition and validation. Make sure they feel like valued members of the team through genuine involvement rather than empty praise. Encourage others to learn from their expertise, and give them flexibility in how they approach their work, as long as it benefits the organization overall.
- Growth opportunities. Consistently support their development by helping them build new skills and gain experience. At the same time, allow space for them to pursue personal ambitions, whether that involves recognition, innovative solutions, or long-term career goals.
Rewarding High-Performing Employees
Praise matters when a high-performing employee goes above what’s expected. Try to give feedback that is simple and makes it clear what they did well. Don’t wait too long to share your thoughts – timing helps it land. Extra pay or bonuses encourage effort, but some people prefer to take on new projects, receive public recognition, or try a different type of work. Rewards need to match what motivates each person. The main thing is making sure every top performer knows they matter to the company and their results are seen.
Professional Development Opportunities with Jody Johnson!
Working with Jody Johnson by coaching and giving high performers opportunities to develop new skills helps keep them motivated and committed. Ongoing growth helps them see a clear future with your organization and prepares them for greater responsibilities and new challenges.
Jody develops high performers by creating meaningful development opportunities, such as management and leadership programs, specialist training, and stretch projects beyond their usual responsibilities. These opportunities are designed to match their abilities and ambitions. Providing this level of professional development demonstrates your commitment and helps keep your best talent engaged and ready to contribute at a higher level. Jody customizes the coaching and training at your organization to maximize high performance and create a serious bang.
FAQs
Do high performers accept constructive feedback?
Many high performers not only accept feedback but seek it out. They want direct comments about how they work. If it points out what they could do better or what they could learn, they see that as a plus. Simple, straight advice is best. When you are honest with them, they feel guided and valued, not criticized. Honest feedback is how they get better, and it helps them keep improving and moving forward in their job.
Can there be more than one high performer in a company?
Yes. More than one high performer can be on the same team within the company. In fact, having several people who work at a high level makes a group stronger. They often learn from each other, raise standards, engage in peer-level conversations and encourage the rest to improve. When managers develop and grow more top talent, the whole team moves up. This creates an active, skilled group where strong work shows up again and again. Everyone gets a chance to do their best.
Why are high performers so important?
High performers are crucial for any business. They bring a growth mindset, steady effort, get jobs done, and often boost how the team works. People watch them and pick up good work habits. These employees feel that being an example may help others learn new skills or ways to complete tasks. When high-profile talent leaves, production drops, and people feel it, sometimes teamwork suffers. Losing them can hurt both progress and spirit. If you want a strong business that pushes forward, you need to develop and keep your best people.
Over the last two decades Jody has helped businesses in South Florida increase their revenues and more importantly their profits, build synergistic teams and create businesses that aren’t dependent on the owner’s presence to run effectively, providing them freedom of choice. She has supported several clients in preparation for succession, exiting and in the sale of their business.
My particular areas of expertise are in family business dynamics, communication and performance. I am passionate about bringing out the best in people and refers to herself as a “People Strategist” supporting those she works with in accomplishing extraordinary success.
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