One of our executives consistently hits their scorecard numbers and Rocks, but their abrasive communication style drives high turnover in their department and makes executive meetings miserable. How do we handle a high-performing jerk on the leadership team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A high performer who violates your core values is a cultural hazard. Keeping them on the leadership team signals to the entire company that hitting targets excuses toxic behavior. Cracks at the leadership level become canyons to the rest of the company, and retaining an abrasive executive destroys psychological safety, crushes middle-management morale, and fuels costly turnover.

Evaluate this leader using the People Analyzer®. They are in the Right Seat because they Get, Want, and have the Capacity for the functional work, but they are the Wrong Person because they fail your core values.

Sit down with them privately outside the Level 10 Meeting™. Lay out specific, objective examples of their destructive behavior, impact on staff retention, and misalignment with core values. Avoid vague feedback about their attitude. Give them a hard thirty-day strike period to change their behavior. Be explicit: hitting Scorecard metrics and executing Rocks will not save their seat if their interpersonal conduct continues to damage the team.

Some executives adjust quickly when they realize their technical competence will no longer shield their bad behavior. However, if they become defensive, dismiss your concerns, or relapse within sixty days, you must terminate them immediately. Protecting company health and leadership unity must always take precedence over individual talent.