Signs Your New Hire is Only Concerned with Winning Over Executive Leadership and What to Do

Have you ever onboarded someone who seems to prefer climbing the corporate ladder moreso than building strong relationships with their team members? Let's use an example to explore this: Sally, a new hire, has quickly become a source of tension within the team. She frequently gossips negatively about her colleagues, undermining their reputations. Additionally, she constantly brags about her qualifications and achievements, which creates resentment among team members. Sally goes out of her way to impress executive leadership, often bypassing her peers and making unilateral decisions to gain their favor. This behavior is damaging to colleague relationships, fostering distrust and low morale. The team dynamics suffer as collaboration diminishes, and a competitive, divisive atmosphere takes hold, ultimately hindering overall productivity and cohesion. You may have experienced this before, or something similar, and have wondered how to approach this situation.

Welcoming a new hire into the team is always an exciting yet challenging experience. While many new hires are eager to learn and integrate with their colleagues, some may have ulterior motives. A common issue is when a new hire focuses solely on winning over executive leadership to earn a promotion, even at the expense of their colleagues. This behavior can disrupt team harmony and lower morale. Here’s how to identify the signs of such behavior and effectively address the issue.

Signs Your New Hire is Focused on Impressing Leadership

Excessive Self-Promotion: If the new hire frequently highlights their achievements and contributions to executives, often taking credit for team efforts, it’s a red flag. This behavior can undermine the collaborative spirit and create resentment among colleagues.

Lack of Team Engagement: A new hire who avoids team activities, meetings, or collaboration might be solely focused on building relationships with higher-ups. This detachment can indicate a lack of interest in being part of the team.

Frequent Complaints About Colleagues: When a new hire constantly brings up negative feedback about their peers to the executives, it suggests an attempt to make others look bad to elevate their own status. This behavior is divisive and harmful to team dynamics.

Unilateral Decision Making: If the new hire makes decisions without consulting the team, especially ones that they ensure are visible to leadership, it shows a preference for individual recognition over team success.

Networking with Executives Over Peers: Prioritizing relationships with executives over building rapport with team members is another sign. If the new hire spends more time seeking opportunities to network with leadership than collaborating with their peers, it’s a cause for concern.

What to Do

Document Behaviors: Keep a record of instances where the new hire’s actions have negatively impacted the team. This documentation will be helpful if you need to escalate the issue to HR or executive leadership.

Promote a Collaborative Culture: Reinforce the importance of teamwork and collaboration. Highlight that individual success is tied to the success of the team. Workhuman (2024) suggests that fostering a collaborative environment can mitigate competitive and divisive behaviors.

Provide Constructive Feedback: Offer regular feedback that emphasizes the value of teamwork. Make it clear that while ambition is good, undermining colleagues is unacceptable.

Engage HR: If the behavior persists, involve HR. According to Workhuman (2024), addressing issues early with HR support can prevent them from escalating.

Direct Conversation: Have a candid conversation with the new hire. Use a friendly and non-confrontational tone to address your concerns. Here’s a sample script to guide you:

Sample Script for Addressing the Issue

"Hi [New Hire’s Name],

I wanted to chat with you about how things are going and share some observations. First off, I appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication. It’s great to see someone so committed to their role. However, I’ve noticed a few things that I think we should discuss to ensure everyone’s on the same page.

I’ve observed that you’ve been very proactive in communicating your achievements to our executive team, which is commendable. At the same time, I’ve noticed that this sometimes comes at the expense of collaborating with your teammates. For example, [specific instance], where decisions were made without team input, or feedback about colleagues was shared with leadership rather than directly with the individuals involved.

Our team values collaboration and open communication. When everyone works together and supports each other, we can achieve much more. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can balance your admirable ambition with a stronger focus on teamwork. How can I support you in this?

Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, and I’m confident we can find a great path forward together."

Additional Guidance from Workhuman

According to Workhuman (2024), managing a team member who is more focused on individual success than team success requires a strategic approach. Here are some additional strategies:

Set Clear Expectations: Clearly outline the expected behaviors and values that align with the team’s and organization’s goals. Make sure the new hire understands that collaboration and mutual respect are non-negotiable.

Encourage Peer Feedback: Create opportunities for team members to give each other feedback. This can help the new hire understand how their actions affect their peers and foster a culture of mutual respect and accountability.

Monitor Progress: Regularly check in with the new hire to see if there have been improvements. Provide continuous support and guidance to help them align their actions with the team’s values.

Reward Team Players: Recognize and reward behaviors that contribute to the team’s success. Highlight examples of collaboration and mutual support during team meetings and performance reviews.

Conclusion

Dealing with a new hire who is more interested in impressing executives than working well with their peers can be challenging. However, by recognizing the signs early and addressing them with a balanced approach, you can help steer the new hire towards more collaborative and productive behavior. Promoting a culture of teamwork, providing constructive feedback, and involving HR when necessary are crucial steps. By fostering an environment where individual success is tied to team success, you can maintain a positive and cohesive workplace. Take care out there, and keep leading with heart!

References

Workhuman. (2024). How Toxic Employees Cost You More Than You Think. Retrieved from https://www.workhuman.com