Roger L. Martin

<article-ideainbrief class="article-ideainbrief">
 <h4 class="ideainbrief-title">Idea in Brief</h4>
 <div class="ideainbrief-contents">
  <h5>The Challenge</h5>
  <p>Unique talent can have a huge impact on the quality of the work an organization produces. So it’s crucial to keep your star performers happy.</p>
  <h5>Where Companies Go Wrong</h5>
  <p>Many bosses assume that compensation is the solution. But money on its own has seldom retained really first-class talent. Star performers also need to feel special, which means you can’t treat them as if they’re simply a well-paid cog in your machine.</p>
  <h5>What to Do Instead</h5>
  <p>A boss should show stars appreciation in three ways: by listening to their ideas, never blocking their growth and development, and taking every opportunity to praise them.</p>
 </div>
</article-ideainbrief><p>Over the past several decades managers have had to adapt to a stark reality: Individuals with unique talent can profoundly affect the value—and even the nature—of the work their organizations produce. A film studio can make a movie with or without Julia Roberts, but it won’t be the same movie. The Green Bay Packers can play football without quarterback Aaron Rodgers—but they will have to run a different offense. If a pharmaceutical company loses its star scientist, it will have to change its research program. If a hedge fund loses its investment guru, it will need to alter its approach to investing.</p>

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<p>In today&#8217;s knowledge economy, employees with unique skills have a profound impact on organizations. It&#8217;s crucial to keep them happy. Many managers believe that compensation is the key (as the eye-popping rewards paid to employees in the upper echelon show). But truly talented people aren&#8217;t highly motivated by money. Feeling special is far more important to them. You must treat stars like valued individuals, not like members of a group, even an elite one. To do that, respect these three never-dos:</p>
<h6>Never dismiss their ideas.</h6>
<p>The Green Bay Packers learned this the hard way when they had a falling out with Aaron Rodgers because he wasn&#8217;t given a voice in decisions affecting his ability to lead his team to victory. The videoconferencing provider Webex made this mistake too; it gave no traction to a proposal for a phone-friendly platform made by star exec Eric Yuan, who got frustrated and left to start megarival Zoom.</p>
<h6>Never block their development.</h6>
<p>Enabling stars to keep growing will win their loyalty. But if they feel their way forward has been barred, they&#8217;ll take their skills to an organization they think will clear a path for them.</p>
<h6>Never pass up the chance to praise them.</h6>
<p>Extraordinary people spend all their time doing hard things. If they don&#8217;t get recognition, they will drift away or become resentful.</p>

The Real Secret to Retaining Talent

In today’s knowledge economy, employees with unique skills have a profound impact on organizations. It’s crucial to keep them happy. Many managers believe that compensation is the key (as the eye-popping rewards paid to employees in the upper echelon show). But truly talented people aren’t highly motivated by money. Feeling special is far more important to them. You must treat stars like valued individuals, not like members of a group, even an elite one. To do that, respect these three never-dos: Never dismiss their ideas. The Green Bay Packers learned this the hard way when they had a falling out with Aaron Rodgers because he wasn’t given a voice in decisions affecting his ability to lead his team to victory. The videoconferencing provider Webex made this mistake too; it gave no traction to a proposal for a phone-friendly platform made by star exec Eric Yuan, who got frustrated and left to start megarival Zoom. Never block their development. Enabling stars to keep growing will win their loyalty. But if they feel their way forward has been barred, they’ll take their skills to an organization they think will clear a path for them. Never pass up the chance to praise them. Extraordinary people spend all their time doing hard things. If they don’t get recognition, they will drift away or become resentful.

The Real Secret to Retaining Talent

Summary.

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