ASB Magazine

Hopefully never, but running a business can mean difficult decisions and strange circumstances...

Hopefully never! I think many of you know where I might be going with this tip because it can be one of the most frustrating and aggravating parts of our jobs. We have the superstar employee—they out-produce everyone else who works for us but there’s a problem. Our other employees resent them, dislike them, and/or don’t even want to work the same times with them.

Is the resentment justified?

Sometimes it is, but other times it is just jealousy coming to the surface. Those are the times that our employees revert back to their childhood and act like brother and sister vying for their parents’ attention.

We have all had to deal with the “look at me, look at me” employee who wants you to notice them and get that pat on the back. Other times it is the “look what she did” line that is supposed to discredit the superstar and makes the speaker of the “look what she did” the good loyal employee—the employee who cares about the business, the one you should favor. Childish? Yes. But it is a sad everyday reality. Just for the record, it is not a gender issue, although I really believe men are worse. What the employee is trying to do is just outshine the superstar somewhere.

Let’s look at the superstar and their unacceptable behaviors. Many of us (yes, I am including myself) will put these superstars on a pedestal and agree to their every demand. We make exceptions for them; we break the rules for them. Everyone knows they are our favorites; and we do all this because we are afraid they might leave us. We might have literally created a monster because they are quick to brag about the special treatment they receive to their co-workers.

We must remember that the real superstars don’t brag; they don’t try to put their other employees down; they respect everyone’s ability and put their successes in perspective. True superstars are team players and are always thanking the rest of their team for their successes. They are embarrassed with too much praise and always look for ways to deflect the praise to others.

So when do you fire your best employee?

—When it is more about them than the health of the business or the team of people they are working with.They don’t get more money they are going to leave and you will be in deep trouble if they leave.

—When you are paying an employee so much that it effects the overall pay structure of the business, raising your payroll to levels that aren’t healthy for the business.

—When you live in fear that some of the other employees might find out what they are getting paid compared to thesuperstar.

—When you tell the superstar confidential information about the business and they are quick to let other employees know that they know the inside information but they can’t tell them. And here is the childish thing again, “Ha, ha, you don’t know what I know.”

These behaviors don’t describe a real superstar. Any time someone acts superior to another person, they are not a superstar. That’s why the higher up you go in an organization, the nicer they generally become. So, when someone is good, they know it, and they tell everyone in any way they deem necessary—that person is not your superstar! They could actually hurt your business because they are stealing the motivation away from your other employees.

Rarely do I ever hear stories that businesses fall off the map because they had to let someone go in order to improve the team. It always amazes me how productivity either stays the same or actually improves after the superstar leaves. We all know it’s true but we are often afraid to let the superstar go. However, after that person is fired, we always wish that we had done it a long time ago.

A real superstar employee is good all the way through and wants what’s good for you and the well being of the business. As for firing your best employee, the question is: are they really your best employee?