Yesterday I spent the bulk of my afternoon attending the WSD (Windows Server Division) Quarterly Manager's Meeting. The meeting was focused on improving manager's coaching skills, but a side discussion emerged towards the end of the meeting concerning rewarding employees that get the job done without resorting to heroic measures.

It was clear in the discussion that we were not talking about the employee that just puts in his/her time, but rather the employee that through proper planning and execution is able to get exceptional results without having to resort to "fire-drill" mode. It was also clear that identifying these employees is more difficult than identifying those that have a short-term high-impact during a "fire-drill". The exceptional non-heroic employee is not the one in the spotlight and it can take months to realize the business impact of someone who is quietly good at their job.

It struck me that these are employees that we need to reward and retain. The nature of our business is such that we do occasionally need the folks that can jump feet first into the fire, but the exceptional non-heroic work style is the one that is long term sustainable and ultimately the style that will continue to make Windows Server a success.