QUESTION: Once a high performer, always a high performer.
FACT: Contribution during the appraisal cycle determines the performance level.
In some companies, it often happens that managers give the high-performer tag to certain key personnel, year after year. Indeed, there’s no harm in this if the performance bar Is raised and the personnel measure up to It every year. But the problem crops up when an employee feels that the highest rating is his birthright. The manager ought to be blamed for breeding such an attitude. It is not appropriate to assume that an intelligent person with the right attitude will always be a high performer. A person might be intelligent, sharp and bright, but his rating could vary from year to year depending upon his performance in the given appraisal period.
There could be multiple reasons for variation in performance. Sometimes, it happens that an employee is going through personal turmoil and thus has not been able to concentrate on his work. It might also happen that a person was a high performer in his old team, but is taking time to ramp up in a new team. Sometimes, when ,an employee is moved to a new team comprising high performers, he might not be able to make the right impression. It could be that his skills which were in great demand in previous projects are not adequate, for the new project. Or it could also be that he has become overconfident and has underestimated the challenge. An employee’s performance can also, change due to a change of manager, one who places emphasis on different skills which he regards as more important for the team.
Sometimes, people take their high rating for granted and enter into a state of denial or shock when they see a lower rating than they expected. Managers play a very important role in handling a high performer; they have to apply all the good management practices of coaching, mentoring, training and feedback. It is easy for a person to be branded as a high performer, but maintaining it is always a challenge.
A good appraisal process includes inputs from all stakeholders. It is possible to give constructive feedback to the employee if his performance has started to decline. This will help him in regaining his former status.
WHAT CAN you Do As THE EMPLOYEE? Never take the ‘high performer’ tag for granted. It’s your contribution during the current appraisal period that will be considered, not your past glory. You may have been rated high in the previous cycle, but then your bar will be set higher in the next one, compared to your peers who had a lower rating. And for the next cycle, when the manager can choose only one for a high rating, one of your peers might win over you by being on par with your performance record, while you’ve not met with your manager’s expectations. You should understand your manager’s expectations. When a certain set of people get the high-performer tag frequently, there’s every chance of them losing their soft skills—such as humility and the ability to work as part of a team; this reduces their effectiveness in the office. Make sure that success doesn’t go to your head; take each year as a new challenge so as to scale new heights. –
WHAT CAN YOU DO AS THE MANAGER? Don’t assume that being generous with the high-performer tag will sweep aside the problem of retention. A person might be good and critical to a project, but you should always be impartial in your assessment of him. If an employee is hungry for good work, It is your responsibility to provide him with that, You should help your subordinates take up new challenges so that they realize their potential and also learn during the process. You should not shy away from .giving honest feedback and suggestions. Some employees may not immediately appreciate the feedback, but they will certainly thank you in the future.
