1
Career Direction
AskWhat are they building beyond this role?
WatchDo not assume a great floor tech wants the same line forever.
Good now does not mean stuck here.
High-Performer Check
7 Questions For
Your High Performers
Precision
Before you push harder, make sure you understand how your high performers actually operate.
2
Core Values
AskWhat drives choices when nobody is watching?
WatchQuality, speed, teaching, autonomy, and craft all pull differently.
Know what they protect under pressure.
3
Communication Preference
AskHow do they best receive and act?
WatchFull picture before shutdown, or three bullets and a deadline?
Same message, different operating system.
4
Motivators
AskWhat gives energy, and what drains it?
WatchRCA might light them up. Status meetings might empty the tank.
Energy is performance data.
5
Skills Acumen
AskWhere is capability highest?
WatchYour best PLC troubleshooter may be your best hidden trainer.
Do not park talent on one asset.
6
Leadership Style
AskHow do they naturally influence outcomes?
WatchSome model the standard. Others name problems nobody else will.
Both matter. Neither needs to look like a textbook.
7
Problem Approach
AskHow do they think before touching the wrench?
WatchFailure-mode mapping and diagnosis by feel need different support.
Different thinking is not wrong thinking.
Can you answer all seven?
If not, you are guessing. Guesswork is what limits even your best people.
✓Design assignments around them.
✓Stop managing performance.
✓Start unlocking it.