10 Signs of a High Performance Employee
Research confirms that top performers at work produce three TIMES as much as other workers and benefit a business in other ways.
Are you one?
Learn from these 10 signs of high performers at work and in life because they also tend to be the happiest.
I think you’ll be surprised by number 10 so check it out as well.
Sign Number 1: Gives Excellent Effort Regardless
When I say “regardless,” I mean that they give their best to what they control and leave the rest. High performers give their best because it’s who they are and what they do.
There’s no alternative motive other than learning to give their best and let go of the rest.
Yes, they might also give their best to get ahead in the company, to get extra compensation, but the best of the best do it because that’s who they are.
And as a result, they are trusted with additional responsibility.
Sign Number 2: Technically Competent
There’s no getting around technical competence, regardless of the job. You have to know what you’re doing to perform at high levels.
They become the ones that others go to for answers that few others have. This is because, in giving their best effort, they are also focused on learning the ins and outs of their job so that they can give their best effort to the job.
That brings us to the next sign of a high performer,
Sign Number 3: Learner
They’re always learning.
Yes, they’re the nerd that took the manual home to figure out the new billable system or they might be the one who reads books on the commute.
But high performers have a voracious appetite for learning and growth.
They’re driven by the delight of mastery, that feeling you get when you know a job, a skill, a business process so well that you have become the “go to” expert.
They're always learning.
Sign Number 4: Coolest Head in the Room
If you saw the movie Apollo 13, you know how valuable the people who stay focused on solving the problem at hand rather than losing their shit over things they don’t control.
No wonder high performers speak up to the right people when there’s a problem.
They don’t stew over what others might think but keep it simple and find out why there’s a problem.
Keeping it simple is what keeps the high-performing people level-headed in the heat of the battle.
Sign Number 5: “Can Do” Attitude
Yes, they’re positive, but in the sense of believing that they can solve problems rather than get mired in excuses.
You might hear them say, “failure is not an option,” because in many cases, it isn’t.
So like sign number 4, they keep a cool head and stay focused on solving the problem.
“And…” they believe that they CAN solve the problem, a belief that often turns out to be true.
Sign Number 6: Takes Initiative for Improvement.
An outgrowth of their drive to learn and excel is the fact that they are always looking for ways to improve a process or save money.
Sometimes they take a little heat for their initiative to improve how work is done, but in the end, they’re valued for seeking improvements.
And speaking of improvements,
Sign Number 7: Adapt to Change
It’s easier to adapt to change when you are the one leading it, but if not, they see the writing on the wall and find ways of making change stick.
Every company, be it for-profit or non-profit, must find ways to change to take advantage of new technologies and innovations.
High performers understand that they live in a world that requires change and find ways to make it happen.
That brings us to the next sign,
Sign Number 8: Collaborates Well With Others
I was being mentored by a high-performing employee when I joined a new company.
After struggling to get along with some team members, I asked him for some advice.
He said, “I try to get along with everyone because that’s how work gets done, through collaboration.”
I tried and succeeded with most, not so much with others.
But his advice was sound. No, you can’t get along with everyone, but when your goal is to find a way to work with everyone, you often succeed.
That brings us to the next sign,
Sign Number 9: Takes Responsibility
High performers are comfortable taking responsibility for outcomes, their own behavior, and their role in problems.
How refreshing!
Because they take ownership, it’s easier to solve problems in a way that they stay fixed.
Okay, so that brings us to the final sign,
Sign Number 10: Manages Boundaries
I found out early on in my career that being an excellent employee brought me a negative, unexpected consequence and that was a lot of extra work.
Hey, I took initiative, was a voracious learner, had a great attitude, and found a way to get things done, but unfortunately, that attracted more work than I could do.
It was insane. While I took on 2 to 3 times the work of others, I got the same rewards.
Nope, no more. I got better at boundaries.
When I asked to take on more than a normal workload, I wouldn’t agree until the manager laid out what others were doing, why not them, and what was in it for me.
I started saying “no” and got the surprise of being respected “and” was able to renegotiate my role on other projects.
Sure, I felt stupid for being so eager to say yes before, but now, with more wisdom, I was negotiating boundaries to my time and was able to stay at a high-performance level.
And so will you.
Quinn Price
Quinn is an Executive Coach and change expert who has worked with dozens of large companies, including Microsoft, Nike, Lockheed, Thiokol, PGE, Deloitte, and many others. He is interested in helping people regain their vitality after a setback, heal after manipulation, create high-performing teams, and implement cultural change that realizes measurable benefits.
Popular posts
About this blog
The Change Capability Institute exists to help people and organizations change faster. We focus on change education in the areas of creating vitality after setbacks, developing high-performance teams, and accelerating organizational change (especially culture change).
Created with © systeme.io