If you are in a leadership position, focusing on keeping your high-performing talent happy is an important priority. Whether it be on-air talent or sales, guarding and fostering their well-being is critical. Here are some ways to keep them engaged and happy:
Invest In Their Development
High performers thrive on growth and learning opportunities and you as a manager need to feed their appetite for growth. Consider ways to offer tailored professional development programs, certifications, or mentorship opportunities to help them advance their skills and careers. Supporting their ambitions and dreams shows commitment to their success and fosters loyalty.
Recognize and Reward Contributions
Regularly acknowledge their efforts through praise, formal recognition programs, or small perks, especially in larger group settings. Personal recognition boosts morale and productivity, and leaders should strive to have a team built on all high performers.
Provide Autonomy and Ownership
Grant high performers the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Avoid micro-managing them or assigning them trivial tasks and trust them to deliver results. This autonomy is priceless and empowers them to deliver at higher levels. Once you as a leader realize how to empower them, this action can be like “jet fuel” that catapults high performers to that “next level.”
Foster Transparent Communication
Encourage open communication by sharing company goals and performance updates. Seek their input in decision-making processes. This inclusion makes them feel valued and connected to the company’s success. By not “jiving” high performers, you foster an attitude where they become so motivated they would run through a wall for you.
Promote Work-Life Balance
Whenever possible, offer flexible work arrangements and wellness programs to your entire team, especially high performers, to help prevent burnout. High performers appreciate environments that respect their personal time while enabling them to excel professionally.
Evaluate how you currently treat your top performers and consider ways to support and reward them even more in the future.
