The way you manage people in your team defines its culture. Your focus and attention help people thrive and grow, while lack of it hinders their progress. Ideally, you could give equal attention to every individual in the organisation. But in reality, your time is limited and very precious. You must choose carefully where to invest it.

Should you devote your limited time to elevating your top performers and setting a high bar for excellence? Or should you focus on supporting your low performers, ensuring no one is left behind?

The reality is that most managers focus most of their time on their low-performing employees. It’s fuelled by good intentions, though! We are empathetic creatures (well, most of us, anyway), and it’s a part of our nature to help those in need. It’s a good thing, right?

Yes, that’s true. However, it does consume a lot of your time, and there is not much time left for you to tend to other members of your team, including top performers.

Don’t neglect your rock stars

Many managers operate under the assumption that this is ok, as high performers are self-sufficient and require less attention. They believe these individuals are thriving and don’t need the same level of guidance or support as others. After all, they are already performing great, right? So what’s left here to do?

This notion is deeply flawed.

Your high performers are the driving force behind innovation, productivity, and excellence. They are the steam engine of your team. Leaving them on their own, without strong managerial support, is a gigantic waste of opportunity and can lead to their frustration, disengagement and, ultimately, loss.

Survival of the fittest or lifting all the boats

Helping underachievers or nurturing top performers. Truly a timeless dilemma.

It all depends on what you consider your priority. Your behaviour and your attention will shape the culture of your organisation, making this choice even more important.