I like to hire strong-headed people. They’ve got minds of their own — and have no problem telling me when they think I’ve lost mine. (Imagine teenagers, but with highly developed executive functions….)
Most of the time, this approach works wonders: I feel challenged, they feel respected and the entire team produces results we couldn’t have otherwise.
But with strong wills come occasional strong impasses. I’m thinking, in particular, of a time when one of my trusted ‘lieutenants’ handled a work travel situation in a way that — although quasi-legitimate — served his personal interest a bit too much, while making it harder for me, as team leader, to meet the budget numbers I had signed up for.
I was not amused. Continue reading