HBR Guide to Being a Great Boss

CHAPTER 15

Managing Your Star Employee

by Rebecca Knight

Managing your star performers should be no sweat, right? After all, they’re delivering results and exceeding targets. But don’t think you can just get out of their way and let them excel. They require just as much attention as everyone else. How do you manage someone who is knocking it out of the park? How do you keep stars excited about their work? And what risks should you watch out for?

What the Experts Say

Having a supremely talented employee on your team is a boss’s dream. But it can be a real challenge, too, according to Linda Hill, professor at Harvard Business School. You need to make sure your star has enough on her plate to stay fully engaged—but not so much that she gets burned ...