How to Keep Your Superstars Happy

Scenario: "Dude, we just got to tell them: 'We love you!' That will excite them. Yay!" Or, you can do this: Tony, we're building a new rocket ship. You're in charge. Have fun. Your superstars want super challenges. When you give it to them, you excite the begeebees out of them. Yet, what do most well-intentioned-but-very-sucky managers do?

"Let's do the trivial, all day, everyday!"

Common themes:

• "Go resolve that customer's complaint."
• "Call Bobby, and schedule a meeting."
• "Keep an inventory of oranges."
• Blah. Blah. Blah.

Doing trivial tasks gradually kills each and every single one of your superstars' burning desires to kick ass for your company.

How Wrong Managers Are

A recent Iowa State study showed that children -- whose parents expected them to be alcoholics -- drank more. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Set low expectations, and you get low results. When you give your superstars trivial tasks, you implicitly tell them: "This is all I believe you can do." Their spirits = major drainage. If society expects you to fall, unless you consciously combat it -- you'll likely fall. The killer way to destroying a superstar then? Low expectations.

"So what in the mutha do I freakin' do?!"

First know: "Trivial tasks" and "superstars" don't mix. So, trash those tasks or hand them off to somebody sucky. Remember, your superstars want super challenges. Anything else will de-motivate them. With that said, here's how we'd empower your superstars:

1. Think of one-big-freakin'-enormous task that your superstars have a 60% chance of achieving.
2. Challenge them to it.

Provide the necessary resources, then watch them surprise you with their super-amazingly-awesome talents. That's one of our secret sauces to getting out-of-this-world productivity. It's fantab. And more important, super challenges keep your superstars happy and rockin'.

See Everest. Your Tools. Have fun.

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