How to Turn a Prima Donna Employee into a Performer

Just about every organization has one or so prima donnas working for them. In most cases, it's a difficult situation due to their talent being unsurpassed. It's difficult to fire someone with great talent, let alone talk them down from their high horse. The great thing about prima donnas is that they can typically be spotted a mile away. It doesn't take long to witness their prima donna ways, which gives you leeway to do something about it early on (if you decide to hire them anyway). The experts at Corporate Business Solutions have worked with a number of small and medium businesses in Schaumburg, IL and throughout the U.S. It has helped organizations flourish by performing an analysis and recommending the best processes and systems.

It's important to ensure that all of your employees are working efficiently, even the prima donnas. A consulting firm like CBS can be beneficial for making necessary improvements to boost productivity in the workplace.

The issue with prima donnas is that they oftentimes bring down those around them. Sure, they bring a lot of great ideas to the table, but usually at the expense of others. They consistently belittle the ideas of others. Some may be a great spokesperson, but will rarely give credit to those who were building the deliverable they're representing. When it comes time to make a vote, prima donnas believe their vote should count for more. Then when things don't go their way, they sometimes go off like time bombs.

Still in all, it's difficult to put these employees in their place when they are a great fit. But if they're not a performer, then it's time to make some changes. Once you have identified the prima donnas in your company, it's time you learn to manage them.

They Believe their Role is the Utmost Important

Again, prima donnas are known for being top performers because their egos won't allow them to settle for anything less. The issue is their ego demands their efforts to be held at a higher value than others. This can put a damper on workplace morale, which can in turn reduce productivity and efficiency. Make sure it's well-known that all contributions are appreciated and will be treated equally. This will help turn their egos down a notch. 

The professionals at Corporate Business Solutions can assist with determining the roles of everyone in your company, once a complete evaluation has been performed.

They Refuse to Level the Playing Field

The actions of a prima donna says a lot about how they view your organization. It's a major disrespect if they feel above and beyond the owner and upper-level management. For example, not attending mandatory team meetings. If you want to keep your prima donna aboard, then you have to be firm, but fair. Consistency is key in these situations. It's essential to strip them of their glory early on, otherwise you risk having to deal with a temper tantrum.

Their Achievements Are Higher than Others

In order to be a successful team player, you have to recognize the achievements of others and acknowledge their efforts. However, to a prima donna, there's no better achievement than their own, even when working in a team environment. In their minds, the team is there to support their vision and goals. This is why they tend to work best when there is little to no interdependency from other co-workers. If this is impossible, then focus on consistently holding them accountable for their performance goals, as well as how they impact the organization's goals.

The professionals at Corporate Business Solutions has received numerous reviews from satisfied customers.