While exceptional employees are also usually skilled, educated, expert, and successful, I didn't use these words to describe them because that's not what makes them exceptional. Instead, it's often their general attitude or the old-fashioned notion of a good work ethic.
Consider the system or application expert who maintains an arrogant air. Do you want to work with that individual, or do you dread it? Or, what about the database expert that is so difficult to work with that your team flips a coin to see who has to call that person? As an application development manager, I see this as the crux of the issue. It's not whether a person can do the job that makes them exceptional but rather how they do the job.
Exceptional employees are also leaders. They have the intangible qualities that influence the behaviour of others. It's common for an exceptional employee to be busy advising, teaching, or training others--and not because it's their job but rather because others seek them out.
I also find that exceptional employees offer that extra burst of energy whenever a team starts to gets bogged down on an issue. They have a take-charge attitude when ownership of a problem is in question. These are the people you can rely on or turn over work to without fear of it not getting done. They are your future project leaders and managers.
You can develop exceptional employees by simply recognising their efforts. Managers often get caught up in the constant stress of completing tasks, meeting timelines, and resolving issues. This can have a numbing effect when it comes to the human side of our jobs. We often forget that most workers take pride in the quality of their work. Providing a simple "good job" or "thank you" can have a powerful and positive impact on a deserving employee's self esteem. This can also have an encouraging impact on the remainder of your team. Ever hear an employee say something to the effect of "...at least my manager cares"?
As a manager, recognising work is your job in the employer/employee relationship. Strive to provide the appropriate recognition for the specific accomplishment. Rewarding every task someone completes diminishes the impact for those achievements that truly deserve recognition.
