5 types of people you don't want in your team

This article is based on the Youtube video "5 Musicians Who Will Destroy Your Band... If You Let Them" by James Hargreaves Guitar

Everything under quotes belongs to the author of the video.

This video gave me a coaching lesson. If you replace the word "band" for "team" you will see how these people and their behaviour show up in the corporate world and how (almost) the same rules apply. Note that I will avoid dismissing people. In most cases, personal coaching is necessary.

5. The Showboater (or The Show Off)

You serve the team and the project. Not the limelight.

Have you ever had one of those people who outperforms but with negative consequences for the team? I'll give you one example. At the time, I was working at a call centre. We were a small team but close to each other, like a network of problem-solvers. We used to share our workload equally. But one of us was known to be an outperformer. This person held the record for most closed tickets per day.

It would be great, if we hadn't found this person stealing assigned tickets from our shared board. "I'll do this one. And this one. And this one", we would hear. Our feedback would always be "But that's already assigned to me", "Leave some for the rest of us!", "Share the work!" But that was to no avail. The rude counter response was ready to be served: "You're already busy with what you have. I can do all this."

This type of person doesn't share. It's worse when they brag. We were annoyed of course, but we kept working together. Until one day. Our outperformer got severely sick but came to work anyway. Said the manager had called in an emmergency, so they were needed at work. We were shocked. After one hour of suffering, we sent them home and called the manager. On the next day, the outperformer was fired. The manager had never called. There was no emmergency. Also, this person already had the doctor's prescription and was in no condition to work. Our manager could have faced some serious legal charges. That was the main reason for the dismissal.

However, the outperformer was resentful and left with a sense of revenge. I remember our last conversation: "I'm going to a much better place." I never heard from the manager nor the outperformer again.

The Showboater is, annoyingly, the outperformer. We can talk about tickets, sales or lines of code. It's difficult to make them a team member. They usually aim higher, as a crave for leadership is at the core of this problem.

They overdo the simple work, or they'll simply refuse it. "They also complain about being bored", about the company's lack of vision and "want their suggestions to be expressed". All this to self-serve their cause: the limelight. And that is also why they'll resent you, when the project is over or you decide to dismiss them.

4. The easily offended tantrum-thrower

Giving honest, unfiltered feedback without anyone taking offence is vital.

We must be able to say "I didn't like what you did" without having someone bashing us out. Overreacting to negative feedback is the sign of a "wounded pride". This person is serving their ego. Not the project. Not the team.

Beware if this person is not the enabler of some wolf in sheep's clothing (ex. a narcissist) that you might have around. Assess the situation carefully first.

3. The unreliable man-child

Not just man. He or she is late for everything, every time. Some childish behaviour is added to this.

This person can be constantly online, over the smartphone, but always 30 min late, every single morning, if working in the office. This person is "late responding to e-mails or messages (if they bother to respond at all)."

This person can complain about work and the team, but never acknowledging they're own share of the problem. They also engage in childish behaviours such as gossip. This one requires self-preservation on your side.

Again, annoyingly, they can be great professionals. But never expect them to apologise.

2. The Pretender

Every team needs a leader.

This one comes with a bonus. There are two types of Pretender.

Teams do not need dictators. Teams do not need an "authority-obsessed" person, but someone who can say "If we cannot agree on anything, I am making the decision." The leader is the team's visionary. Sometimes, they have to use their leadership power.

"The problem is when we have someone who, secretly, feels that they should be leading. Leadership struggles delay work, they delay the project's shared direction. The leader should be the person everyone respects."

The second type of Pretender is The Rebel Without A Cause.

"They don't particularly want to take over the leadership of the team but they do want to undermine whoever is currently leading it. Whoever the team leader is The Rebel Without A Cause will work to unite the rest of the team against that leader, not because they've done anything wrong or leading badly but simply because someone is a leader."

"The Rebel Without A Cause will resent anyone who ever holds authority over him or her". Worst case scenario, "they will wreck the team and even sabotage friendships within it. One of the most dangerous team members. Beware."

1. The Perfectionist

This type of behaviour is mostly perceived in the team leader or any similar leadership position. This person has very specific ways of working. "Everything needs to be done exactly as they wanted or have imagined". Their frustration and/or anger can be released if otherwise.

"A perfectionist would never dream of bringing into the team an average professional, with a lot of potential. They do not settle for less."

First, "do not set your bar too ridiculously high". "Also, it's better to have a good enough person developing their skills progressively every day, than to hire a technical magician with an awful personality." Although, I have to say, it's the opposite of this idea that I see the most everyday.

"Skills can be grown and developed". Visible, meaningful personality changes are much harder to achieve. "And rare".

And you? Are you on this Top 5? What is your current struggle? And what do you plan to do about it?

Let me know your thoughts.

And THANK YOU for having read my first article, a week ago. Your feedback is much appreciated.