We can all spot a great employee when she/he is proactive, independent, hardworking, reliable, great leader and a great follower. They bring in several of easily defined but hard to find skills on to the table.

Even though some employees are exceptional, they have skills and qualities that are not evaluated on a performance appraisal, nevertheless makes a huge impact on the individual’s performance, the performance on the people around and mostly to the organisation.

Truly exceptional individuals possess most of the following:

1. They think beyond the given job descriptions

Regardless a role or position of a person, getting things done at whatever cost is one of the most important and rarest qualities of a person. It is necessary to have employees especially in a small organisation, to be able to think quickly and adapt quickly to shifting priorities

2. They could be quirky

Exceptional employees could be different like being delighted to be unusual and being cheeky. They could be slightly off but in a really good way. Unusual personalities tend to shake things up, making work much fun and transforms a dreary group into a team with flair and flavour.

3. They always try to prove other people are wrong.

Self-motivation often comes from the desire to show that doubters are wrong. Although education, intelligence, talent and skills are important; Drive is extremely critical, to be driven by something deeper and more personal than just a desire to do a good job. Exceptional employees always are to the point, being able to give clear and solid reasons as to why the other is wrong.

4. Maybe they are irreverent by nature, but they have a balance.

Unusual personality is a lot of fun right up to the moment they are not. Exceptional employees know when to be serious and when to be unusual. While facing a major stressful challenge, these individuals know how to tone down their eccentricity and seamlessly fit into the team. They know when to challenge and when to back off. It is a tough balance to strike and rarely individuals can walk that fine line with ease.

5. They disagree in private.

Certain issues maybe better when handled in private. An exceptional employee could come up to you before or after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue, knowing that bringing it up in a group setting could set off a firestorm.

Obviously they are trailblazers, constantly exploring. Usually good employees follow processes but exceptional employees find ways to reinvent processes not because they are expected to but because they really want to.