1

Issues & Problems in theManagement of High Flyers

2

Who are High Flyers (Ambitious Employees)

Hard workers Like to be Challenged Don’t shy away from responsibilities Determined to succeed Reliable Ultimate Goals:

Gain Authority Develop leadership skills Rise to the top

Consistent

3

Kinds of High Flyers

Hipers; employees who outperform their peers

Hipos; employees with rapid advancement potential

Hipers & Hipos; “Stars”: exceptional talents

In-House Experts; the most frequently consulted

High Flyers are the cream of the crop, who need need special care if their talents are to be turned to the best advantage for themselves and the organization.

4

Problems of High Flyers – In General

Genuine desires for improvement Adverse effect of their behavior Misplaced confidence Unbridled ambition Strained Relations at work place Undermined teamwork Demonstrating ruthless ambition Maintain good performance Harder to manage Unhealthy competition among staff Hard workers but may be arrogant

5

Commonly Encountered Problems of High Flyers

Unfair assessment causing resentment & loss of motivation Not staying in one job long enough Not promoting best young managers Roadblock of domestic bindings in the way of acquiring int’l experience Offering incentives which may not realize due to economic reasons Not having adequate opportunities to join the high flyers program Often work pressure leading to total ‘burn out’. Direct relationship of rising responsibility with stress Dealing with envy & rivalry to deliver success Status anxiety; wanting to be popular and respected Stress of balancing between work and home

6

Heifetz (1994) suggests; How to deal with stress?

Take out time to reflect Look at the wider picture Be a spectator, not a participant. Don’t take the inevitable criticism Externalize conflict Concentrate on the issues, not the personalities Use allies Don’t exercise leadership alone Recharge your batteries Keep your sense of purpose Hold on to the organizational vision

7

The Manager’s Dilemma

How can overly ambitious people be managed

What actions can be taken to harness & guide their ambition

Taking different management approach

High flyers may require special handling

Mishandling of high flyers may lead to losing them

Don’t use one size fits all management approach

8

How to Manage? – High Level Analysis

Engage the worker in meaningful discussion Determine what are the behavioral goals of the worker Share & discuss the impacts of workers’ behavior on the org Strategize how to optimize their behavior Gain understanding employee’s perception Don’t misjudge employee’s intentions Express your confidence in the employees skills & abilities

9

How to Manage? – Recommended Strategies

Team Building Exercises Set Individual mini Goals Offer Professional Development Opportunities Develop them horizontally Appraisal Add Quality to Competence Spread the expertise Let them take more risks Put them at the leading edge

10

Conclusion

The most effective processes for developingleaders are a combination of the following:

High flyers should be given challenging assignments in the beginning of their career, which require them to influence rather than use power, to get results.Feedback mechanisms such as 360˚ appraisals which enable the high flyer to do some introspection. When this feedback is given in the context of a training program, it can be open and objective without damaging relationships with coworkers.As a response to the feedback, self-awareness is crated which calls for a genuine desire for self-improvement.Developing supportive relationships with mentors who can act as role models and critics.

11

References:

Business Services & Solutions. Retrieved fromhttp://www.kellyservices.us/us/ushome/

Michael, Evan Car (2014). Managing High Flyers. Retrieved from www.evancarmichael.com/Management/3656/Manaing-High-Flyers

Garret, Carter. How Ambition works. Retrieved from www.ambition.com

Sadler, Philip (2003). Leadership – 2nd Edition

12

THANKYOUPROFESSOR

& CLASSMATES