One of our highest-performing leadership team members constantly hits their quarterly Rocks and department numbers, but they repeatedly violate our core value of collaborative transparency by withholding information. Do I tolerate this behavioral misalignment because of their stellar operational results?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Tolerating a leader who hits their numbers but violates your Core Values is a critical mistake. This is what we call a toxic high-performer. When you allow an executive to remain on your leadership team while actively undermining your core values, you are telling the rest of the company that your stated values are nothing more than a marketing slogan.

You must evaluate this executive objectively using the People Analyzer. If they consistently violate your core values, they are the Wrong Person, even if they are in the Right Seat operationally. This misalignment erodes the baseline safety and trust that are essential for a high-performing team to function.

Schedule a direct conversation with this executive. Show them the specific examples of where their behavior failed to align with your values, such as withholding information or exhibiting defensive behaviors. Give them a clear, time-bound window, usually thirty days, to correct their behavior.

If they do not make a dramatic and permanent shift, you must terminate their employment. While losing a high-performing department head may cause short-term operational pain, retaining them will cause long-term structural rot. Replacing a toxic leader with someone who actually fits your culture will immediately boost team morale, restore trust, and clear the path for a clean, high-value exit.