What is a high performer? Simply put, a high performer is an employee who consistently exceeds the expectations placed on him or her in the workplace.  High performers look for ways to hone their skills. They constantly seek opportunities to learn new things and excel at their job.

A big problem in the workplace today is that managers continually hire mediocre talent and expect them to meet the expectations of high performers. This practice says as much about the company’s management as it does about the employees it hires.

It goes without saying that by consistently hiring mediocre talent the company puts itself at risk of decreased performance and even economic failure.

But the reason to hire high performers goes a little bit deeper than the bottom line. It’s critical to your organization for many reasons and it's crucial you take the time to find out who these people are and why they are valuable assets.

High Performers Drive the Company Culture

In 2014, Merriam-Webster declared “culture” the word of the year. It’s defined as “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization.”

But who influences these attitudes, values, goals and practices? Management? Employees?

To an extent, they all play a role in the “feel” of the company, or the corporate energy. But if you’ve ever observed a low-performing corporation, you will inevitably find behind it employees with a lack of motivation, responsibility and respect for its leaders.

But in every successful company, you will find high-performing individuals who incite energy in their teams and drive the overall culture of the organization. Why?

Because high performers are typically natural leaders who tend to stand out in their environments and naturally influence those around them. They are driven, high energy individuals who create a culture of excitement in the people they influence.

Hire enough high performers and you will shape the culture of your business into a society of winners.

High Performers Lead by Example

High-performing individuals tend to set the bar high for everyone else on the team. Think of the straight A student and his average sibling whom the parents are always comparing him to. As natural leaders, these individuals stand out by example and encourage those around them to reach for new levels in order to meet the expectations of management.

They model excellent behavior and are fully aware of their ability to influence the people around them. The highest performers never fail to recognize and capitalize on this.

High Performers Are Team Players

They follow what Ryan Caldbeck calls the “no jerks rule.” They value their team members and view them as a crucial part of their own success, making others more likely not to feel threatened and to follow their lead.

They nurture their relationships with the people around them and demonstrate leadership by inclusion. For this reason, people naturally follow them and desire to maintain solidarity. They will do their best to live up to the expectations set before them and gain acceptance of the high performers on their team.

High Performers Grow Your Business

For all these reasons, high performers will grow your business and increase your bottom line. People want to be a part of your organization, leading to more high-performing employees. With higher quality employees, production will inevitably increase as will your customer base and loyalty.

The question then becomes:

How Do You Attract High-performing Employees?

Finding and retaining top talent isn’t easy since high performers seek the same level of fulfillment and success as the founders of your own company. That’s why most of these individuals eventually become entrepreneurs to create their own brand. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at this chart from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics created in 2015:

Over 15 million people in the U.S. alone were self-employed that year, and the number continues to rise.

But despite this fact, every organization big and small should do everything in their power to hire high-performing individuals before they make this leap. But what does it take to hire and keep them?

  • Ask the right questions.

These types of individuals are the reasons for such interview questions as, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Sure, we’ve all been conditioned to give certain responses to these questions, but to flesh out a high performer, dig a little deeper. Don’t just accept the stock answers. A high-performing individual will probably answer a little differently than anyone else. For example, he might say he sees himself owning his own company. This should never frighten off an employer because it means this individual has lofty goals and high expectations.

Even though this could mean you only have him for a period of time, consider the amount of growth your company can experience in that time and decide whether or not it’s worth the risk.

  • High performers need challenging opportunities and growth.

You can’t just stick these employees in a box and expect them to meet expectations. They will become bored and move on quickly. It’s important to take their goals and objectives into consideration and allow them the opportunity to shake things up a little. Give them the freedom to make their own decisions and take their job to their own level. These are not the types of people you can micro-manage and expect quality results from. They have their own ideals and their own techniques. If you trust the fact that the individual is in fact a high performer, trust their instincts as well.

They need to know that you’re concerned about their future as well as the future of your organization. In other words, they need to know there is always potential for growth.

  • High performers require and merit higher salaries and compensation packages.

It’s true that you can’t expect to attract high performers with mediocre salaries, but don’t let that scare you. Like we discussed before, high performers will inevitably increase your bottom line, company morale and customer loyalty. A true high performer will be worth every penny you pay him and bring in far more revenue than he could ever cost you.

  • High performers need to feel valued and rewarded.

Basically, they need to see that they are impacting your company and making progress in their roles. Don’t be shy about sharing numbers and improvements with your employees and allowing them to see their impact. Also, don’t be afraid of praising their efforts publicly.

  • High performers need leadership roles.

They will do best in roles of leadership where they can make the biggest impact. Letting them know you trust them with other employees will go a long way toward maintaining a positive morale.

  • High performers need to work for high-performing organizations.

Most of all, your company should become a high-performing organization. High performers can work almost anywhere they want to, so what will make your organization stand out to them? Where most companies fail at gaining top talent is that they are relying on someone else to come in and make them great. You need to develop a culture of greatness and a place where employees can thrive before you can get the attention of a top-notch employee.

Communication is Essential in Keeping High Performers

One of the key aspects of keeping any employee is communication, but this is especially true in the case of high performers. They need to know that your door is always open and that you are open to suggestions and comments.

They need to know that you will be consistent and proactive in your approach to these conversations, and that you care about their personal fulfillment and success. One of the best strategies is to find out early on what motivates them and take a personal interest.

For example: a lot of companies hand out Christmas bonuses in the form of gifts. Well, what if the gift one year was a year’s supply of beef. It’s an expensive and thoughtful gift unless your employee happens to be a vegetarian.
Take the time to get to know your employees personally and reward them accordingly. They will notice and they will continue to be high performers.

But don’t stop there. Find out what drives them and where they see themselves headed. Find opportunities within your organization for them to achieve those objectives. Continue to evolve and create a career that’s custom-tailored to them.
Create a place for them to flourish or they will find one somewhere else.

Bottom Line

The Golden Rule says to treat others as you wish to be treated, and that couldn’t be more true than it is with high-performing employees. It may sound a little hokey, but you need to keep in mind that high performers are savvy, hard-working and driven individuals whom we could often learn a thing or two from ourselves. Using flimsy and rehearsed tactics will only serve to drive them away and make you seem insincere.


To try and gain the upper hand with these employees is a huge mistake. They often need minimal guidance and the potential for growth. Don’t fail to overlook the benefits to your organization that high-performers can bring and continue to find ways to hire and keep them.

You won’t be sorry!