Episode Summary
In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses a challenging workplace question: what should you do when a top performer suddenly loses initiative? Drawing from his experience as an executive coach, Mike emphasizes the importance of proactive diagnosis and direct communication. He explains that a sudden decline in initiative from a star employee often signals issues with motivation—sometimes rooted in organizational dynamics, such as perceived unfairness or lack of recognition.
Mike encourages leaders to confront the issue head-on through candid conversation, rather than delaying or ignoring the problem. By directly asking the top performer about the change in behavior and what may have triggered it, leaders can uncover the root cause and determine the best way forward. According to Mike Staver, timely, open dialogue is vital to retaining and re-engaging high achievers.
Key Takeaways
- A sudden loss of initiative in a top performer usually has a clear motivator—often related to recognition or fairness within the team.
- Immediate, direct conversations with the employee are crucial; leaders must not delay or avoid addressing the issue.
- Ask specific questions about what has changed or triggered the drop in initiative, and make clear your expectations for communication going forward.
- Failure to engage in these conversations can lead to the loss of valuable talent.
Notable Quotes
- “The first thing I would do is I’d sit down and have a conversation with the top achiever and I’d go right after it.”
- “Have the conversation, then you’ll discover what needs to be done.”
- “I cannot tell you the numbers of people who delay and ignore and pretend, and then they lose a high achiever and like, what happened? What happened was you weren’t having those conversations.”
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