Dive Brief:

• High performance employees are not always treated well by insecure managers and peers, says Adi Gaskell, author and innovations consultant at The Horizons Tracker. These rising stars may face bullying, and they may be overloaded with projects - neither situation is ideal nor productive. 
• Gaskell cites a recent study that advised managers to spend more time focusing on star performers, but he also says that such employees should also be given the autonomy to decide how and where they work. 
• Gaskell says that, as humans, "we tend to compare ourselves with those above us rather than below us in the social hierarchy at work." This can lead to the ostracism that high achievers often face in workplaces; Gaskell advises that envy has no place in a learning environment.  

Dive Insight:

There are several strong points made in this article. First, high performers often face a great deal of animosity and jealousy from both peers and immature managers. Often, employers just don't know how to relate to them, and resort to shutting rising stars out instead.

Second, those who love learning new things and applying their knowledge to the job by improving processes often meet resistance and ostracism instead of support. High performers should able to operate without micro-management, which, according to research, actually reduces productivity, creativity and employee trust. 

Lastly, high performance employees have a special place in every organization as learning leaders who should be shown respect and attention because they bring more to the company than employees who are just squeaking by.