It’s a big challenge for leaders – you have an extremely talented member of your team…the best surgeon, best salesman, best IT technician. While they’re at the top of their technical game, being on your team comes with a cost. They’re also a prima donna. They have an inflated view of themselves. They’re demanding, temperamental, unpredictable, self-important.
Given that we’re closing in on another Super Bowl, let’s examine a classic case study of this conundrum with a National Football League (NFL) team. This year, on paper, the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of, if not the most talented teams in the NFL. Despite a vast array of talented players, oddly the Steelers did not make the playoffs. The question that’s been buzzing around the sports world is why.
Here’s a theory – bad team culture.
One of the many talented players on the Steelers is Antonio Brown, aka AB. He’s not only talented, he’s arguably the best player in the NFL at his position (wide receiver). AB has been a bit of a toxic personality throughout his 9-year tenure with the Steelers, but the stunt he pulled at the end of this season is inexplicable.
The distractions overwhelm the talent and the prima donna changes from an asset to a liability. The leader’s job is to recognize this distinction quickly…
The week before the Steelers last game of the regular season, a must win game for the Steelers and thus the most important game of the grueling 16 game season, AB mysteriously missed 3 days of practice. He wasn’t injured. There was no reason for him not to show up to practice – he simply chose to not show up. AB abandoned his team in their time of greatest need and did not suit up for the big game.
Antonio Brown is a talented prima donna.
Did Coach Tomlin (head coach of the Steelers) handle this situation well? The leader’s job is to leverage individual talents to maximize team performance. Team performance being every leader’s measure of success, the logical conclusion is that he did not. While we’ll never know the details of what Coach Tomlin did or didn’t do, let’s look at 3 ways a leader can deal with a talented prima donna.
-
Maximize their talent.
Give your prima donna the opportunity to use their unique strengths every day. However, there’s a delicate balancing act at play here. While you’re feeding their ravenous hunger for accomplishment and setting them up to flourish, you don’t want to negatively impact team culture. This requires constant monitoring of other team members. You need to spend lots of time with your team and your radar needs to always be on. In this case, did Coach Tomlin listen for whispers of discontentment and watch for signs of eroding morale in the locker room?
-
Hold them accountable.
While you’re feeding their enormous egos with opportunities to excel, it is equally imperative that you hold them accountable. If they don’t meet your established expectations, address it quickly. Ignoring it undermines your authority and lowers the bar for everyone else. By definition, you’re lowering expectations and team performance will suffer. Early on, did Coach Tomlin hold AB accountable when his antics were wearing thin on some of his teammates?
-
Let them go.
Sometimes the technical talent of the prima donna is overshadowed by the attendant drama of a demanding, temperamental, unpredictable, and self-important personality. The distractions overwhelm the talent and the prima donna changes from an asset to a liability. The leader’s job is to recognize this distinction quickly – preferably before it significantly impacts team culture and, more importantly, team performance – and let them go. This is a tough call, a gut call, and another reason why leadership’s an art. AB transitioned from an asset to a liability during the 2018 season. Did Coach Tomlin recognize this soon enough?
Be a great leader. If you have a talented prima donna on your team, remember to set them up to flourish, but always hold them accountable. Listen for whispers of discontentment and watch for signs of eroding morale. If the distractions overwhelm the talent, let them go.