The Price Of Brilliance – Individual Performance Or Team Culture
- Jun 4, 2023
- 3 min read
Written by: Karin Wellbrock, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Mark (changed for privacy purposes), a new CTO, inherited a difficult manager who was causing havoc in the department. The brilliant jerk was excellent at engineering and critical thinking, but terrible at people and collaboration skills. For a long time, he harassed his team members who threatened to quit. Mark had to do something fast. He expressed his initial dilemma in the coaching session: should he keep the exceptional engineer or keep others?
From Logic of Consequence to Logic of Identity
Mark’s initial reaction was to use his rational mind and to develop logical options with a cost-benefit analysis. ¹ The jerk could stay, and some engineering products would be excellent, but key members would leave. Alternatively, he could fire the jerk, deal with HR issues, and juggle engineering capabilities, while retaining other key members. These options came immediately and instantly. Suddenly, the conversation shifted when Mark said, “I want to be as brilliant as he is.” Mark's emotional declaration led to a discussion about identity.
By asking, “Who am I?” Mark changed his perspective and he realized that he is not only an engineer but also the head of the technology department. Since Mark was working remotely for a long time and with dispersed teams, he realized that he was leaning more towards his engineer identity than his leader one.
As the CTO, he wanted to be a servant leader who empowers teams. As soon as he put on his CTO hat, the question “What would a servant leader do with a brilliant jerk?” became clearer since he gained confidence by relying on his values.
Seeing around corners
Mark decided to let the brilliant jerk go but wondered about the consequences. ² Considering questions such as “What are the immediate effects of my decision?” and “Who would be affected?” helped him to analyze this decision. In this case, the positive effect might be a reduction in team tension, but it would come at the expense of an increased workload for each member.
After reviewing the direct effects, Mark analyzed the indirect effects or the second-order consequences. He could anticipate potential HR and legal challenges, but also better team collaboration and performance. Then he considered the longer-term or third-order consequences. Because Mark is a servant leader, he may be able to retain engineers who trust him. He might end up achieving better results.
Putting the leader hat back on
The brilliant jerk situation initially frustrated Mark, but he appreciated the reminder of how he let his guard down as a leader. Upon re-evaluating his role as a servant leader, he was able to reaffirm his commitment to the team's success. Ultimately, Mark reaffirmed himself as a leader due to his belief in doing the right thing.
Going beyond cost-benefit analysis
Next time you need to make a tough decision, instead of simply weighing the costs and benefits of your options, consider the "Identify Model" of decision-making. You can ask yourself three questions:
Who am I?
What kind of situation is this?
What would someone like me do in this situation?
Try it and see how it can guide you to make more informed and authentic decisions that are aligned with your values and principles.
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Karin Wellbrock, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
In addition to being a co-founder of Kay Group K.K in Japan, Karin Wellbrock is an executive coach and leadership consultant with over 30 years of global experience. A passionate advocate of human-centered, inclusive leadership, she creates exceptional results. To bring innovation to the workplace, she is conducting research in Japan and Europe to increase female representation in leadership roles. Her program "Leader-by-Design" demonstrates this. Dedicated to systemic change, Karin is a member of an all-women-led angel investment club in Asia Pacific, and mentors startup and NGO leaders and game changers in Asia and Europe. It is her mission to elevate 100 women to the C-suite.
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