What can you do as a Manager to keep your star players?

A commonly used cliché in business is “if you want something done right do it yourself”. However, often the best way to get something done is to give it to the busiest person in the room.

That person is normally your right hand, the person that makes an organisation or team tick and your life that little bit easier. Have you ever asked yourself the true value of that individual? What would it mean to your organisation or team if that person was to leave? What can you do as a manager to make sure that doesn’t happen?

1. Stay involved. Take the time to listen to your staff, understand their challenges and possibly more importantly what makes them tick. I often ask people what gets them their ‘win’, this helps me to encourage and praise them on the things that are important to them. 
2. Take action. All too often people take the time to listen but don’t act on what’s said.
3. Ensure everyone has a career path. Even if their job itself is going to remain the same, by understanding the company strategy and direction your ambitious staff will have a strong vision of what they are part of and where they are going. 
4. Pay market value, not what you think the person will accept. Whether it would cost you an extra ￡1,000, ￡10,000 or ￡100,000 to replace the person, pay that money, otherwise you will live to regret it!