You know the team superstar: The one who’s brilliant, high achieving, and outperforms pretty much everyone else — but burns through relationships all the while. What’s the best way to manage this dominant personality? How can you encourage them to improve their interactions with colleagues? What can you do to emphasize the importance of collaboration, especially if your formal incentive system only rewards hitting goals and targets?
Managing a Top Performer Who Alienates Their Colleagues
Managing a dominant personality is a challenge, especially if they’re alienating their colleagues. For starters, you need to provide some tough feedback. Tell this person how they’re perceived, and explain the consequences of their behavior. Say, “In order to live up to your talents, you must learn to behave differently. Otherwise, you won’t accomplish your goals.” Next, you need to coach and help your aggressive star develop empathy. Engage your employee in active inquiry by asking them to step into the shoes of their peers. Ask them to consider their colleagues’ perspectives and viewpoints. Say: “What matters to this person on your team? What is that person’s biggest concern? Is there any common ground?” Your objective is to foster social and self-awareness.