Keep Your Superstars Shining Bright

As managers, we are tasked with so many tactical and strategic activities in any given month, week, or day. One of the more important tasks is to manage, lead and inspire your best players.

So what do you do when your best players are tired? It happens. They get worn down, worn out and just plain tired of their role. And, sometimes, there is not a lot of wiggle room to expand their position, give them stretch assignments or move them up the career ladder.

So, how do you help them rekindle their passion for their work?

I am not talking about trying to create a spark where there is no ambition. I don’t mean motivating the employee who was never motivated to begin with. I mean, recharging your superstars and reigniting the flames under your best and brightest.

Here are a few simple techniques to inspire and stimulate your top performers:

1. Give them a research assignment. Get them outside of the office and introduce them to someone outside of the business for some networking and research time. This will give them new surroundings and environment and help bring a fresh perspective to their work.

2. Put them in charge of something that is currently on your plate. And, tell them that. It does two things: it frees up some of your time to be more strategic and gives them a sense of significance and importance.

3. Sign them up for some leadership development work and have them train the rest of your team on whatever they learned. This gives them some new coaching opportunities and will encourage them to think through the experience in such a way that they can share with others. Plus, you’re getting great information out to your other team members as well.

Remember, even the brightest stars experience burn out sometimes. Continue to invest in your best and you’ll keep them shining through the good times and the challenging times as well.

Do you have suggestions for ways to keep your emerging leaders inspired? Please share!