Have you ever worked with an obnoxious colleague who seemed to be protected because the employee was considered too valuable to fire?
Maybe you’re a team leader who has one of these brilliant bullies on your team.
If so, you might not be surprised at what I watched happen at a corporate leadership development program I was facilitating. The HR Director had set out materials on every table – including dishes of candy.
A tall, lanky man entered the room, went straight to the back row, asked the HR Director and his own supervisor if he had to attend the program. When they told him he needed to be there if he wanted to lead a team, he threw a tantrum.
He picked up the dish of candy, threw it against the wall, swept the papers from the table, and unleashed a string of profanity.
In most organizations, that behavior would be a “career limiting move” so I was curious how the HR Director and his supervisor would respond.
They walked away.
I asked the HR Director how she was going to address his behavior.
She replied, “Oh that? That was tame. He’s been far worse, but I’m not allowed to address his behavior. The CEO says he’s too important to lose. He’s really smart and we need him on this project.”
Too Valuable to Fire?
If you’re a leader who tolerates abusive behavior, harassment, or bullying because the employee is smart or talented, you’re making a big mistake.
Think about the messages you’re sending to your team.
First, you’ve told your team that you’re weak. You’re not a strong enough leader to create a positive work environment.
Next, you’ve told your team members that you don’t value them. If you did value them, you would ensure they were treated humanely.
Finally, you’ve told everyone that this kind of abuse, harassment, and bullying is okay. You’ve planted seeds for even more chaos and disruption.
The reality is: no one is too valuable to fire. If you’re doing work that requires a team of people working together, no one brilliant person can do everything themselves.
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