MMA Logo

Senior Correspondent

A Seasoned View of the World

When Talent Defeats

Print

By Dan Rockwell

July 23, 2012

Dan Rockwell

Dan Rockwell is author of the popular Leadership Freak Blog. He has 35 years' experience as a public speaker and teacher, and 15 years’ experience as a consultant.

Learn more about Dan Rockwell

Superstars aren’t the answer they’re the problem. Isn’t it thrilling when high performers join your organization? Finally, someone can bring home the bacon like no one else. Wrong!

Superstars who believe they save the day are selfish hogs. Organizations don’t need swine they need strong teams that deliver results together. Individual contributors – superstars – might work for the short-term but eventually they cripple organizations and destroy morale.

High potential:

Real high potentials know how to work with others; they don’t work in isolation.

When Talent DefeatsLeave a comment

Team players are better than individual contributors.

 

Team players:

  1. Develop organizational capacity.
  2. Share the spotlight.
  3. Sacrifice for the team.
  4. Build morale.
  5. Have humble spirits.
  6. Encourage.
  7. Listen.

Dig deep:

Highly talented individuals who work well with others produce results and lift organizations.

Control yourself the next time you interview a super star. Ask, “How well have they played with others?” Perhaps the real job interview should be with team-mates. How well did they work with others?

  1. Disagree agreeably?
  2. Speak honestly?
  3. Work behind the scenes?
  4. Contribute to the success of others?
  5. Backstab?

It’s easy to find yourself starry-eyed with talented super stars and high potentials. Beware, you need more than talent; you need talented team players.

How do you spot highly talented team players?

What can leaders do to enhance team work?

Senior Correspondent

We are journalists and essayists, bloggers and pundits, professional and non-professional writers. Here we report on our lives and our world.
Learn more about our adventure in journalism.

Twitter Facebook
United Church Homes