7 Ways to Avoid Overcooking Your Top Performers
Solid advise before your goose is cooked.
In the mid-80s, I watched the movie Karate Kid. The memorable teachings of Mr. Miyagi were long-lasting and still resonate today. I challenge you to find anyone that doesn’t know and chuckle at the phrase “wax on, wax off!”
This simple one liner became a hit for a reason. Everyday life situations were used to teach new lessons. Since then, I’ve been a student of such lessons. A recent one started with an overcooked turkey.
I’d been thinking about the stress level of my top performers at work just prior to the crispy carcass making its debut from my kitchen oven.
I Could See It Through the Smoke
The lesson hit me smack dab in the gut. If I overcook my top performers, I could find myself in a similar situation; empty cubicles vs empty plates.
In today’s work culture of reduced staff levels, heavy workloads and impossible deadlines, top performers are the key to success. With business leaders working “on the business” instead of “in the business,” less and less tolerance exists for poor performers. Trends indicate we are even cutting into the territory of the okay employees.
Hell’s Kitchen
With employee burnout on the rise, I asked myself: “What can I do to avoid overcooking my top performers?”
As I patiently waited for my favourite pizza delivery, I came up with the following cooking instructions:
- Bring them to room temperature: Avoid overloading. As leaders, it’s easy to overload your top performers because, let’s face it, they get it done! Top performers also tend to have an issue turning down new assignments. Leaders beware! A bunch of small dishes eventually fill the sink.
- Preheat the oven: Give autonomy to top performers. Define thresholds if necessary before having to move up the chain of command for authority. Communicate that mistakes will be made and expected. Learning and moving forward are the main focus. Put their minds at ease.
- Proper cookware: Provide the proper tools to be successful. Nothing frustrates a top performer more than non-existent or ill-performing equipment/software. About the only ingredients more frustrating are bottlenecks and red tape. As a leader, clear the road for success by being competent in removing obstacles for your top performers.
- Shake & bake: It’s very easy to give these individuals the bulk of complex work. Saving the less complex tasks for the “okay” employees. This can create a constant, never-ending level of stress. Shake it up! Even top performers need a break in workload, stress levels and complexity. Be sure to give them some variety.
- Cover: When you give autonomy to employees, they leave themselves open to mistakes. We’re all human after all. Top performers need to know their back is covered. Leaders need to walk the walk and talk the talk. If mistakes are made, take the heat on their behalf. Know that top performers are harder on themselves than anyone else.
- Baste: Be sure to voice and display your appreciation for the quality and quantity of work performed. Communicate how it helped the business and the team in achieving success. Do it often!
- Sit to cool: Be flexible! Top performers produce more work in shorter time frames. Reward them for it. Give them an extra vacation day or Friday afternoon off. If they require time off to meet the cable company or appliance repair person, pony up! These folks give it their all. Being flexible is a way to say “Thank you!”
If you follow these cooking instructions, your top performers will be cooked to perfection. They’ll be motivated, tender and juicy with creativity.
Turkey Come, Turkey Go!
Sadly, just like a well-cooked turkey, word gets out. Family and friends come out of the woodwork because they heard how good your turkey is. Everyone is open to taking some turkey home.
This same thing will happen with your top performer. Internal peers and competition come out of the woodwork trying to take your top performer home with them. Take it as a compliment to your leadership. Some will go. But some will stay because of how you treat them.
If you like good turkey as much as you like top performers, you better not overcook them. Proper preparation and cooking care may be difference between a nice meal and an empty plate.
Scott Kennie is a metro-redneck. He’s worked in corporate information technology management for over 15 years. He considers himself a sarcastic realist. He’s also a Dad. He lives with his wife, three dogs and his alter ego; Bat Hubby who’s a racecar driver. His motto: live life and laugh all the way to the grave.
