Paul Pogba is a player that "wants the love" of a manager and bosses should "bite their lip" when they are working with him, according to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Pogba's relationship with Jose Mourinho at Manchester United became increasingly strained earlier this season and the Frenchman struggled to get into the side towards the end of Mourinho's tenure at Old Trafford.
But the midfielder has thrived under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has scored more goals (four) than any other United player since the Norwegian took over as caretaker manager in December.
Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford both have three goals while Jesse Lingard has scored twice.
Hasselbaink, who made 468 appearances as a player and managed Burton, Queens Park Rangers and Northampton, says the key to Pogba's recent success is the different relationship he has with Solskjaer.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, ahead of Manchester United's game at Tottenham, live on Sky Sports on Sunday, Hasselbaink said: "He's an exceptional talent, we all know that he can play football really well.
"But being a talent is not enough you also have to have the character.
"It doesn't matter if you don't get on with your manager you have to do it for yourself and that's what I miss a little bit in him.
"Obviously he is someone that wants the love of the manager, he wants that kind of relationship, it's all about knowing your characters.
"Players nowadays are a little bit different to back in the day.
"You have to talk more now to the players and find a way to motivate them and find a way to get the best out of them, even though at times I don't agree with that.
"But as a manager you have to bite your lip and look at the bigger picture and he [Pogba] is an important factor in Manchester United's team.
"He is the one that can create something out of nothing so you have to find a way to get the best out of him."