Photo by Roland Samuel on Unsplash
The in-house architect was important to the success of the development project. He was talented, creative yet pragmatic and realistic in his technical design output. The leadership valued his work highly.
But he was painful to work with. He was never wrong – in his opinion. He was rude, even brutal in his criticism of others. He wasn’t a team player.
His manager spent a great deal of time smoothing over his transgressions, placating the offended team members.
However, many still left. Those that didn’t leave became disengaged. The project fell behind.
Then the manager was relocated to another part of the business, partly due to him being blamed for the lack of progress.
The new manager spent two weeks becoming familiar with the working of the team.
Then he asked the architect out for a coffee.
He laid out the following for him:
- We value your work and your talent.
- We would like you to remain as a part of the team and progress in the business.
- For that to happen you’ll need to achieve two things that I believe you are very capable of:
- Become respectful in your dealings with others, no matter what;
- Become a true team player.
- If you don’t achieve that within the next two months, I’ll have to let you go.
- I will help you to be successful, but it is up to you.
- How do you feel about that?
The architect, after some questions and answers, realised the manager was committed and agreed.
He reformed and stayed.
The project got back on track but had cost much more than they had planned.
Later the architect left of his own accord, finding it too difficult to maintain the changes required of him.
He set up a consulting practice, which enabled him to offer value without becoming engrossed in a team’s dynamics.
His previous manager was replaced when it was discovered he was tolerating unacceptable behaviour and performance in his new team.
The senior leadership was reinforcing the leader’s duty to reform or remove.
Too many leaders in too many organisations tolerate the unacceptable to their own, their people and their organisation’s great disadvantage.
What do you think about that duty?
