How to Notice High-Performing Employees

Let’s face it. When leading a team, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day throes of the workflow. There are meetings and metrics, projects and plans, goals, reporting, and never-ending follow ups…

In light of this daily deluge, it’s easy to overlook the macro-contributions of your high performers. We’ve all felt overlooked at some point in our careers, and it's not a great feeling, so let’s talk about how to be sure that you’re not the one doing the overlooking.

The 5 Signs of a High-Performer

Some things are easy to measure, but not everything is. Yes, operational efficiency (calls made, accounts closed, clients landed) plays a primary role in performance, but it’s often the soft skills that can really set someone apart.

Five signs to identify high performers:

1) They’re kind - up and down the ladder.

A key soft skill is “getting along” with others. Fostering camaraderie among the entire team - not just the team of which they are a member - requires authenticity; it's very hard to fake for any length of time.??

Look for employees who go out of their way to help, even in instances where there isn’t a direct responsibility. Team members who take the time to check in on others, lend a hand when they can, or highlight someone else’s success are displaying the intangibles that make teams better and cultures great.?

2) They might be quiet.

Sometimes (but not always) the person doing the least, has the most to say. You may have seen this in your work life. The one constantly telling you how busy they are, how hard they work, rattling off a list of priorities so you won’t “burden” them with anything new. It’s easy for leaders to fall for this, because these people genuinely seem like they’re hard at work.

This can make it easy to overlook the quieter, more reserved members of your team. The ones who actually put in the most work may not communicate when they’re feeling overwhelmed, or may provide a description of the workload when asked, but stand in stark contrast to the performative show of those trying to cosplay as a hard worker.

3) They’re humble.

This builds off the last point, but it’s easy to overlook the person who declines to advocate for themselves. The one who silently feels like they’re doing their best work, putting in the hours, and getting results, but won’t tell you that because they don’t feel comfortable bragging. It’s just not their style.?

Instead - and this is where it can get tricky - they may expect you to notice. Actually, a pretty reasonable expectation of a manager.?

They may think, “Someone will see how much harder I work than X,” and if you don’t, (because your job is busy and time is limited), their job satisfaction - and performance - could start to decline. Especially if they perceive “X” receiving more accolades for their work.?

Think before you praise. While it seems like an obviously good thing to do, accentuating one person’s performance can create ripple effects (why is no one noticing what I’m doing?). There is nothing inherently wrong with being an advocate for yourself, but it does make it easier to overlook the people who won’t do it, and your role as a leader is to go out of your way to notice.

4) They’re curious and always learning.

The best performers sharpen their skills constantly. Whether they’re:?

• Readers better understanding their industry through books
• “Forever students” enrolling in online or in-person courses?
• Engaged employees who tackle projects outside of their direct role
• Side hustle/freelancers who have work goals unrelated to us
• Enthused hobbyists with unrelated skills but display passion in their lives

Someone who works hard is likely to display that same energy outside of the office. That can be a very clear indicator of their true colors.

5) They focus on outcomes.

There are valid reasons our operating procedures and best practices exist, but they can become stale or outdated, and occasionally deserve revisions.?

A high performer is someone focused more on outcomes than optics. They’re most likely the ones who find more efficient ways of doing things, test boundaries, are open to new ideas, protect their time, avoid micromanagement, and find more solutions than problems.

It can be hard to spot, because at times, it might appear defiant. But the real indicator of whether someone is defiant or proficient is always intent. Are they rushing through procedures to get off early, or are they skipping unnecessary steps to close more deals?

Be Vigilant.

Soft skills can be subjective and notoriously tricky to quantify. Is that person establishing rapport with colleagues, or wasting everyone’s time on small talk? Are they empathetic or being nosy????

Taking the time to notice what’s beneath the surface can help you connect better?with your team, promote the right people, and keep your best performers happy.

I can’t be alone on this one – have you ever felt overlooked yourself,?or seen solid performers go unrecognized (and then go elsewhere)??