Do not be afraid of ambitious employees. With the right and smart approach, you will be able to qualitatively and rapidly develop your company via such employees.
- Firstly, it is paramount to determine whether this ambition is empty (star disease), or it implies the person’s real talent;
- Clarify at the very beginning what is the employee’s priority: money, rapid career growth or the desire for professional improvement;
This way, you’ll be able to effectively direct such an employee and harmoniously work together.
How to identify false ambitions? Ambition can be divided into the following explicit categories: healthy and not healthy. Ask the potential employee 3 simple questions:
- What personal achievements are you proud of?
- What are your personal contributions to your goals?
- What is your degree of responsibility?
After hearing the answers, you will clarify a lot - what kind of person is this potential employee and what are his values. Then you should check the practical side, to figure out which category his ambitions belong to. The HR manager should discuss with him a working framework that is clear to both sides.
This set of actions will help show the real face of the future employee and avoid toxic persons.
After you decide to hire such a person, you need to learn how to properly direct them.
It is very important to develop a balance of self-esteem and achievement in work. This employee should not be in a state of monotony. New and interesting tasks are a way to interest him and develop the necessary skills. As a bonus, long-term motivation is that he will know the leader trusts him with important projects. He should be given the opportunity for self-expression, solving issues on his own. It is necessary that he works on the set goals with high persistence. All actions should be aimed at achieving plans. The employee must be involved in a common cause, so that he feels like a part of the team.
Is it necessary to reward the employee’s healthy ambitions? Of course, praise and appreciation is required for any employee. A great way to demonstrate this is to promote quality training. This method will support the interest during the working process while forming the desire to develop for the sake of the company - making him a more highly qualified employee.
It is important to understand that the approach to an ambitious employee must be individual. He may begin to suppress others or not obey the managers, because of his unshakable opinion. It can be difficult for directors to constantly persuade him to follow a set business route and thus, he might create a lot of problems.
In order for him to not begin conflicts and to cooperate, he must nicely fit into the team and do the work he loves. Then, he’ll not have the time and need to quarrel and spoil the positive vibe of the team.
