How NOT To Lose High Performers

There’s a battle that goes on between what we do, and the perception by others around how we are recognized for it.? Management seems to be a key player in all this, and the repercussions are can be devastating for an organization…?

When I was a trainer for Xerox I took a great deal of pride in my performance in the classroom.? After all, that’s what I was paid to do.? Every class ended with an evaluation form completed by the students I trained, and those evaluations were strong.? With over twenty of the best trainers in the country, I took enormous pride in my perch as the number one ranked trainer in the corporation.? Unfortunately, no one else did.

I certainly understood this from my peers.? To be a trainer at Xerox meant you were a high performer from the field, and that often meant each possessed a competitive fire in their bellies.? I don’t know a lot of competitive people who jump up and down for joy when a peer surpasses their performance.? I’ve never been a fan of an individual who becomes outwardly obvious regarding these feelings – but I respect these feelings just the same.

My confusions centered on management’s reaction.? The silence was deafening, and that made me angry.? Why wouldn’t management want to celebrate my accomplishments?? There are a handful of concerns, but let’s look at three…

1. There is concern from management that what feels like pride from an individual, might be perceived as pompous by others.
2. There is concern from management that formal recognition to an individual for this type of performance might be perceived as a guarantee when it comes to an actual performance review down the road.
3. There is concern from management that celebrating individual performance in front of a competitive team might be perceived as favoritism and demotivate a team.

Unfortunately, these fears are more myths than real concerns…

1. There is concern from management that what feels like pride from an individual, might be perceived as pompous by others. ?Myth.? Much like an athlete who has been in the end zone before, individuals who work to accomplish great things are often the first to lend a hand to others, and typically maintain a low profile.?
2. There is concern from management that formal recognition to an individual for this type of performance might be perceived as a guarantee when it comes to an actual performance review down the road.? Myth.? I consider it unconscionable that most managers have never actually been taught how to give recognition.? One of the key principles of recognition is to be as specific as possible.? That makes the person you are recognizing feel the remarks are genuine, and protects the manager during a performance review.?
3. There is concern from management that celebrating individual performance in front of a competitive team might be perceived as favoritism and demotivate a team.? Well, they’re actually right.? Ironically, most high performers would prefer NOT to be recognized in public, but rather in private.

The bottom-line is this:? It’s about time we stop demotivating top performers with various concerns that are actually more myth than reality.? It’s okay to recognize our top performers, and if we don’t, they’ll leave.? It’s been 31 years now since I left Xerox, a company I thought I would work for my entire life.? I loved working for Xerox, and made amazing friendships, but I became a casualty of Performance and Perception.? Ultimately, I grew tired of waiting for management to move past the myths that skewed their perceptions, and provide even a hint of recognition.?I am not alone.?

Fact:? A poll conducted by Zenger/Miller found that over 80% of individuals who terminate from a job, do so because they feel a lack of recognition for their performance.

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