Good morning friends! Irina is in touch. With the onset of morning, the physical stars in the sky disappear, but, to replace them, other “stars” wake up and rush to their work to “star” actively and presentably there. And I can’t save you from this stardom. Real stars are far away in the sky, but these are here, nearby, in our collectives. So today we will treat star fever. Whose exactly, you ask? Well, let's not be so direct, pointing fingers at people is tactless. :)
In any team there will be one or two employees who:
- know everything better than anyone
- don't celebrate authority
- do not understand the limits of their powers
- don't try to control their behavior
- behave categorically and self-confidently
- exaggerate their value to the company
- regularly declare their exclusivity
- look down on colleagues
- disregard the opinions of others
- deny any contrary opinion
- require some special treatment
- carry a negative charge to the team
- destroy the authority of the leader
Consequences of stardom for a company
It must be admitted that employees with star fever can be well versed in the work process, have extensive work experience, be efficient and talented, which is why it is not very easy to part with them (sometimes, in fact, there is no one to replace them).
And not to part is more expensive for yourself, because the harm from someone’s stardom is simply colossal: from simple whims, terribly distracting, unsettling, disturbing the team, to complete sabotage of the work process. This slows down the company's development. But, most importantly, other similar “stars” are drawn to the “star”, forming a kind of swamp with zero efficiency.
Where does star fever begin?
Like various physical diagnoses, star fever develops quite gradually. It may be preceded by various factors:
- informal relationship with the manager
- unreasonably fast career growth
- overpraising syndrome
Oh, what to do with these “stars”? The dilemma of “execution cannot be pardoned”
Dismiss with honors? Or help you come down from heaven to earth? Send to illuminate another sky? Or try to cure this stardom? Hmmm, is this even curable? Is there a guarantee of complete recovery? Will the team not be exhausted in the future from relapses of someone’s untreated stellar illness? Okay, let's figure it out.
If the issue is decided radically (I’m talking about dismissing a star employee), then you need to understand that such a “star” can be hired by your competitor. And if the issue is not resolved radically (I’m talking about leaving a star employee on the team), then you need to understand that he can demotivate the team or even ruin it.
Many managers do not know what to do with the “stars” in the team - it’s a kind of double-edged sword. Many believe that it is useless to treat “star people”, because most often experienced professionals who have long been formed as individuals suffer from star fever. For such managers, employees with a “star on their forehead” are like a chronic disease: why spend money on “pills”? they will still be wasted. Such managers are inclined to, after talking frankly with the “stars,” part with them as amicably as possible. They treat arrogant employees like a pebble in a shoe that prevents you from walking until you remove it.
But other managers believe that dismissal is an extreme measure, that sending a star employee home is not an option. They treat “stars” as a good psychological simulator, which absolutely free (!) helps the rest of the team hone their level of stress resistance.
But almost all managers agree on one thing: you need to be on guard with a star employee (observe his behavior, correct him in time, in a word, keep a vigil).
If you still decide to treat a star employee, listen to a few tips:
Psychologists consider star fever to be a narcissistic disorder, which can and should be stabilized, but only through psychotherapy. In other words, if a company is faced with such a problem, it just needs to hire psychologists to help. Unfortunately, this practice is rare in enterprises; it is somehow not customary to invite psychologists or psychotherapists to help, but, believe me, it’s worth a try. After all, you are not insured against the fact that another “star” will not appear in your team someday.
It is always better to treat star fever at an early stage. It is easier to cure a capricious little “star” than a “constellation” who has been working in the company for a long time.
The cure for those who have caught the stardom virus can be to transfer an employee to one or more lower positions: the person once again goes through the same career path, but now thinking hard about his behavior.
A transfer to a fundamentally new job within the company will help: the profession is new, there are no acquaintances, it will not be possible to become a star.
A system of “whips” is useful: for example, sanctions for violating an acceptable behavioral model strictly defined by an HR specialist.
Oddly enough, new motivation will also help. Perhaps a person has already achieved his goal, but another, higher one has not yet been set for him, so he is trying to “affirm himself from scratch.” Such “stars” can be given a position with a special title such as “specialist of the highest category”, “expert in working with key clients”, “leading manager”. In this situation, the “stardom” somehow neutralizes itself, goes into decline, and gives the “star” the opportunity to continue to bring high results.
It will also help to include a star employee in some project group to solve a particularly complex problem, so that he experiences the feeling that he does not understand all areas. A talented “star” needs to be given a slightly more difficult task than others. Then she will have no time to “star.”
Conclusion
The task of every manager is to prevent his employees from “catching a star.” The most effective and efficient cure for “star” disease is... prevention! Let only heavenly stars illuminate your life and activities! Good luck!
Read some additional articles on a similar topic:
"Star fever", the main symptom of which is self-aggrandizement, manifests itself in a variety of areas of professional activity. It is common for people with Star Syndrome to become furious at the slightest criticism. It is vital for them to be first in the ranking, hence their constant desire to rank others. Character traits such as inflated claims and neglect of the needs of other people make their contacts with others unstable.
If we talk about the so-called “star fever” from the point of view of psychology, it is worth noting that in its manifestations “star fever” is very similar to the narcissistic personality disorder known in psychology. This is actually an unhealthy (neurotic) personality manifestation that leads to serious problems in interpersonal communication.
People of this type live with a constant feeling of envy of everyone who has achieved success and even of those who live an ordinary rich and interesting life. Problems in communication for such individuals arise against the background of the fact that their behavior causes others to have a negative attitude towards themselves.
Narcissistic individuals view everyone else as inferior to them. They seek the admiration of others primarily in order to receive confirmation of their greatness and maintain their superiority over others. To protect their weak self from destruction, they use various defenses, but their most favorite remedy for anxiety is idealization and devaluation. They either idealize someone else and devalue themselves, or they idealize themselves and devalue others. When their strategies hit a snag, they may become depressed.
If after these explanations it seemed to you that any desire for success can lead to “star fever”. That's not true at all. It all depends on what motives drive your aspirations for success.
Any healthy organism has a completely normal need for self-development. The motive for new achievements is the desire for self-realization, the search for new knowledge, the development of skills and abilities that open up new prospects in life. In this case, a person strives not for fame as such, but for new achievements and discoveries, developing professionally and personally.
In a painful (neurotic) manifestation, other motives rule, this is the desire for prestige, the need to impress others, to be an object of admiration and respect.
This is the main difference between neurotic desires for power, prestige, and wealth from the healthy need for personal development and self-realization, which ultimately is the meaning of our existence.
Everyone has heard the term “star fever” at least once, but not everyone can describe it, name the symptoms and methods of treatment. Meanwhile, many famous personalities and their entourage suffer from this, bordering on delusions of grandeur.
What is star fever?
Star fever is a psychological concept that is a deformation of the personality, which has an inflated attitude towards oneself and a distorted attitude towards reality. The reason for such changes is success in any field: show business, literature, science, medicine, etc. The syndrome manifests itself as social maladjustment and leads to personality degradation.
Star fever - psychology
From a psychological point of view, this pathology in its manifestations is very similar to narcissistic disorder, which means: star fever is an unhealthy manifestation of personality, leading to problems in communication. Some psychologists equate the concepts of “narcissism” and “star fever,” the symptoms of which are similar. The desire for self-realization and the search for new knowledge is normal, and the neurotic manifestation of this need is expressed in the following motives:
- to be an object of respect and admiration;
- morbid desire for prestige;
- the need to impress others.
Cause of star fever
Not only show business suffers from star fever, but also ordinary people from various fields. For example, an ambitious office worker, a practicing doctor, or the best student at a university can become a star. The basis of all deviations is a person’s incorrectly formed self-worth. In the absence of internal support, spiritual emptiness and loneliness are formed, and a person feels the need for external support. The following reasons for personality deformation can be named:
- excessive attention;
- a sharp increase in material wealth;
- boss status;
- other personal achievements that dramatically increase self-esteem;
- improper upbringing;
- such as arrogance, lack of humility, arrogance.
Signs of star fever in humans
If a person feels unique and proves this to everyone, there is star fever, the symptoms of which appear very quickly and are easily distinguishable. The signs are:
- the requirement of full attention to one’s person;
- desire to emphasize status;
- boasting;
- envy of other people's successes;
- tendency to break established rules;
- lack of attention to family and friends.
Star fever - treatment
A patient with a psychological illness, as a rule, does not recognize its presence, just as a “star-struck” person does not see a problem in his behavior. But those around them are suffering and trying to figure out how to get rid of star fever. The person needs to be brought down from his pedestal, but it is important to act carefully. Experts believe that it is necessary to combat manifestations of narcissism only through psychotherapy. But there are proven “folk” methods for treating star fever.
- New motivation when a person is given different goals.
- Increasing the complexity of the task.
- The stick method, that is, punishment for violating a behavioral model.
- From heaven to earth - when an employee who turns his nose up is transferred to a lower position.
- Limitation of sphere of influence, isolation.
Celebrity star fever
Star fever among celebrities is a common occurrence. Public people who have been “spoiled by fame” regularly become involved in unpleasant incidents, showing themselves not at their best. Under the influence of popularity, young talents turn into rebels, alcoholics, drug addicts, brawlers and annoy producers with their whims. Among the young celebrities who were spoiled by star fever: Justin Bieber, Lindsay Lohan, Robert Pattinson, McCauley Culkin. Among the Russian stars we can distinguish such arrogant persons as:
Singer Maxim
Star fever can become the final point of a career, destroy or significantly complicate your personal life. If a problem is identified, it must be dealt with immediately, before a slight touch of “stardom” develops into a serious mental disorder. A person who has placed himself above others will inevitably have to face reality and realize that his status is much lower.
