Key Contributor Matrix - ACTIVITY

DIRECTIONS:
1 REFLECT on your existing team members and REVIEW the Key Contributor Definitions below.
2 THINK about their roles, responsibilities and contributions.
3 COMPLETE the Key Contributor Matrix on the back of this page with three to five employees.
NOTE: You will be working with these employees throughout the session.

Key Contributor Definitions

Key contributors come in many different forms. Each brings a unique dimension and is critical to the success of
your team and the organization. You inevitably have one or more of these key contributors on your team.

NEW EMPLOYEE / ENTHUSIASTIC LEARNER

New employees are enthusiastic and eager to learn. However, the learning curve is steep. They have potential
but are not yet clear on personal or professional goals. Everything about the organization and team are new.
New employees need more direction and timely feedback on performance.

HIGH PERFORMER
High Performers excel at doing their job. They are job-focused. They meet and exceed the requirements over
and over. They can be counted on to go the extra mile, meet deadlines and bring value to the business. We
usually put them in the highest quartile in our succession planning discussions. They possess high potential
and are often discussed for leadership positions.

LINCHPIN
Linchpins not only do their job, they take care of the system. They are system focused. They see where
others need help and step in. They bring emotional energy and support to their teams. They don’t have
job boundaries. They see the whole project or the whole organization as their domain and do whatever is
necessary to keep things humming along. People come to them for help, advice, expertise, etc. They are the
informal leaders of the system.

CRITICAL FOR THE FUTURE – PEOPLE AT THE EDGE

These are the people who see what’s missing. They focus on the future. They are always asking the “why do
we” and the “why don’t we” questions. They see the trends and want to shape the future by developing new
processes, systems, products, and services. They are the innovators and dreamers. They are the links that
bridge present reality and future greatness.

UNCHALLENGED OR DISENGAGED – UNDER PERFORMING

These individuals are potentially seeking a challenging or developmental opportunity. They may have
been performing the same type of work for many years without much effort as a result of their subject
matter expertise.

© Lee Hecht Harrison. All Rights Reserved. LHH.com

Key Contributor Matrix - ACTIVITY
KEY CONTRIBUTOR EMPLOYEE NAME EXHIBITED BEHAVIOR(S)
NEW EMPLOYEE
Enthusiastic Learner

HIGH PERFORMER
Self Directed

LINCHPIN
Systems Thinking

CRITICAL FOR
THE FUTURE
People at the Edge

UNCHALLENGED
OR DISENGAGED
Under Performing
Know Your People - ACTIVITY
NAME & POSITION MAJOR VALUE TO ORGANIZATION

PROFESSION LEVEL OF MASTERY

Apprentice Contributor
Mentor/Coach Sponsor/Leader

APPRECIATE UNIQUENESS
Unique value this person brings to work — personality, approach, contacts in industry, knowledge of customers, special
competencies, sales savvy, experience, etc.

ASSESS CAPABILITY
Specific contributions to the mission, strategies or unit objectives.

ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE

Areas where this person could make a greater contribution.

ALIGN ASPIRATIONS
Development areas - New competencies or skills to acquire, customer familiarization, higher level or mastery, project(s), etc.

ACCELERATE LEARNING
Use training, temporary assignments, projects, resources to achieve goals.

SPECIFIC COSTS OF LOSING THIS PERSON

OTHER FACTORS
Productivity, knowledge base, customer relationships, morale, etc.

VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING

AND RETAINING THIS PERSON HIGH MEDIUM LOW

© Lee Hecht Harrison. All Rights Reserved. LHH.com

Frame Your Discussion - ACTIVITY
NAME & POSITION DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION

Date: Time:
Place:

DETERMINE THE DESIRED OUTCOME OF YOUR DISCUSSION

PRIMARY PRACTICE AREA(S) YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON

Appreciate Uniqueness Anticipate the Future Accelerate Learning

Assess Capability Align Aspirations

IN THE SELECTED PRACTICE AREA(S), SCAN ACTIONS OF A+ MANAGERS

AND IDENTIFY 2-3 AREAS YOU WANT TO DISCUSS WITH THIS EMPLOYEE

CHOOSE 2-3 CONVERSATION STARTERS THAT CONNECT TO THE PRACTICE AREA YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.

ANTICIPATE TOUGH QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ENCOUNTER. WRITE 2-3 OF THEM HERE.

READ CORRESPONDING ACTIVITY AND DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS WITH EMPLOYEE.

NEXT STEPS

© Lee Hecht Harrison. All Rights Reserved. LHH.com