Rockstars and Superstars: Tailoring Growth
- Cristina Stensvaag
- Nov 13, 2025
- 2 min read
In every team, some people thrive in stability while others are fueled by rapid change. The best leaders honor both and build teams that stay balanced and strong.
November 13, 2025
Originally published in One More Rep, our weekly leadership newsletter. 👉 Subscribe here
Great leaders balance stability and growth, honoring both steady performers and those driven by change.
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In Radical Candor, Kim Scott introduces the idea that every team needs a mix of rockstars and superstars.
Rock stars are the steady performers; the people who love mastery and depth. They bring stability, expertise, and reliability.
Superstars are the high-growth performers, always reaching for the next challenge and driving innovation.
Both are essential, but problems arise when leaders treat everyone the same by either pushing rock stars to climb when they’re happiest excelling where they are, or holding back superstars who need new challenges to stay engaged.
Scott writes: “The key to building a strong team is to recognize that different people have different motivations, and those motivations change over time.”
When you tailor growth to each person’s motivation and moment, you build loyalty and encourage sustained performance.
Rep
This week, look at your team through the lens of rockstars and superstars:
Who’s operating like a rockstar right now -- thriving in stability, bringing strength through consistency?
Who’s showing superstar energy -- hungry for growth and new challenges?
In your next 1:1, ask each person:
"What kind of growth excites you right now: mastery or stretch?"
Tailor your support accordingly: give rock stars autonomy and recognition for excellence; give superstars new challenges and opportunities.
Reflect
Do I treat everyone’s growth path the same way?
Who on my team might feel bored because I haven’t challenged them?
Who might feel stretched too thin because I’ve assumed they want more?
How can I help both thrive: not by changing who they are, but by honoring what drives them right now?
Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. When you meet people where they are, you don’t just manage performance, you unlock potential.
