Gyanendra Kumar Kashyap
Star performers are the ones who surpass goals more often
than not, are technically superior, are quick to grasp new organisational
missions and have risen through the ranks by producing exemplary results. However, a few of them have bad attitude,
which if left unchecked can destroy the organisational culture and team. How do
we handle such performers without losing them?
Yes, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli besides being captains
for their respective franchisee teams, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers
Bangalore, are undoubtedly star performers for their teams. While star
performers prove to be an asset to the organisation, but like most superheroes,
star performers too have a dark side and at times with their behaviour and
attitude cause a problem. The 12 April, 2013 verbal duel that the two star
cricketers engaged themselves in does raise a question or two about how to
manage such star performers. The two players in question are highly talented
and fiercely competitive; however the entire episode paints a picture that the
two insisted on having their own way often contemptuous of others.
Cut the picture to an organisation, there are numerous
examples of star performers who are arrogant, demand special treatment and
absolutely no one wants to work with this individual. The failure to deal with
such individuals or allowing them to have a free run, does have a negative
impact on the cultural fabric of the organisation besides undermining the
performance of the entire team in the long term.
Besides raising an ethical question, as such disruptive
behaviour by star performers if left unchecked can run counter to the
organisational values, the key question is - how should organisation deal with
such star performers? Should the organisation retain the employee just on
account of performance or should it take necessary measures to change the
behaviour of such star performers? Those in the know argue that in both the
cases, there is the probability of a backfire and the organisation can face the
risk of losing their star performer. According to Peter Cappelli, Professor of
Management at The Wharton School, the trade-off between talent and disruptive
behavior depends on how important teamwork and morale are in the organization's
culture.
Coming back to the above question, Tiziana Casciaro and
Miguel Sousa Lobo – authors of the Harvard Business School study “Competent
Jerks, Lovable Fools, and the Formation of Social Networks” contend most
employees would rather work with someone less competent because that person may
be more pleasant, more open to other’s ideas and more willing to share their
own. They may even be perceived as more trustworthy. What if the organisation
decides to change the behaviour – how should the organisation go about? A few
suggestions (not exhaustive to say the least):
Hold the star performer accountable for performance as well
as behaviour: Not holding employees accountable for their behaviour just
because they perform well makes the company’s values meaningless.
Adopt a team based performance recognition system: Sometimes
star performers walk away with all the credit for a job done well without
acknowledging the contribution of others in the team. The star performers need
to be gently reminded of the benefits of sharing credit when it is due. This
will improve their relations with others in the team and also gain them their
respect and admiration.
Focus on interpersonal skills: The star performers should be
made to realise that developing interpersonal skills holds the key to good leadership
qualities, which is needed along with technical expertise to reach the top.
Regular feedback: Erring star performers should be given
regular feedback on how their behaviour is affecting others by both their
supervisor and other team members; this will help them to modify their conduct.
Coaching and counseling activities can be resorted to. Besides the 360 degree
approach it is equally important to have direct feedback sessions with star
performers so they know the exact consequences of not changing their behavior.
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