Traits of an Athlete

An Athlete has these traits:

• Competition/self/others: They thrive on competition, whether it’s with themselves or others.
• Sense of personal power: They have a strong sense of their own abilities and influence.
• High levels of endurance: They can sustain high performance over long periods.
• Pace themselves: They know how to manage their energy and workload effectively.
• Plays fair: They adhere to ethical standards and fairness.
• Encourages others: They motivate and uplift their colleagues.
• Likes to “Win” and not give up: They are driven by success and persistence.

Traits of a Coach/Mentor

• Compassion for others: They genuinely care about the well-being of their team members.
• Develops strong team: They focus on building cohesive and effective teams.
• Not selfish: They prioritize the needs of the team over their own.
• Willing to not know something: They are open to learning and admitting when they don’t have all the answers.
• Can put themselves in others’ shoes: They have high empathy and understanding.
• Empathetic: They are sensitive to the feelings and needs of others.
• Sense of what others need: They have an intuitive grasp of what their team members require to succeed.

Benefits of Having More Star Performers

There would be many benefits to having more star performers in your company, including:

• Better recruiting, interviewing, and hiring: Star Performers attract other high performers, improving the overall talent pool.
• Positive shift in culture: The presence of more Star Performers would foster a culture of excellence and high performance.
• Sharing of best practices: Knowledge and effective strategies would be more widely disseminated.
• Increased revenue generation: With more high performers, the company’s productivity and profitability would rise.
• More targeted and effective training: Training programs would be better tailored to meet the needs of the organization and its employees.

And that is not the whole list!

Identifying Star Performers

How do you determine who are your Star Performers? The most basic answer? Ask the employees! They are likely to know. It may not be very scientific, but it is amazing how often they know. You can also spend time talking to and observing performers on the job, in teams, with customers and in the field. You could conduct a “Star Performer Analysis” and utilize the findings.

So, how can you retain your Stars once you have identified the individual or team?

• Let them make a contribution
• Don’t take them for granted
• Constantly challenge them
• Communicate the company accomplishments
• Respect them for their expertise
• Pay well for performance
• Give frequent and accurate feedback on performance
• Involve your stars in decisions that impact them directly
• Treat them fairly
• Ensure they have clear objectives
• Present opportunities to network cross-functionally

Last but not least on the list above is to “create moments that matter.” These are the experiences that make employees feel valued and connected to the organization. By focusing on these strategies, companies can not only identify but also retain their Star Performers, ensuring long-term success and growth.

For more information on what those moments are and how to identify a Star Performer and make them shine, check out the webinar, How to Create Star Performers in Your Company.