In the minds of many turbocharged Type A’s, RULES get in the way of RESULTS.  The more successful Type A’s become, the more likely they are to rebel against rules in a short-sighted manner and send their companies or their careers down the stinker.

Pay attention if you’ve got any of these red flags waving in your head.

“If they would just get out of my way, then I could really get the big things done.”

“These damn rules are ridiculous!  They just slow me down and put up silly barriers to getting things done.”

“I’m a bigger producer than anyone else, so I shouldn’t have to play by the rules.”

“Rules are for losers.”

“I’m smarter (faster, more talented, more successful, etc…) than the people who made the rules, so why should I follow them?!”

Here’s the dark side to this Type A trap.  If you break the rules before you master them, you look disrespectful, rude, insubordinate, rash, arrogant… fill in the blank with a whole host of other unpleasant, stinky descriptors.

However, here’s what’s cool about rules.  If you master the rules and then break’em (in a constructive manner, of course), you look courageous, visionary and innovative.

What kind of Rule Wrangler are you?

As you ponder your answer, turn up your speakers and join me in singing The Type A Anthem…

Oh, please.  Did we really need a research project to tell us that?  Apparently so.

As reported in Human Resource Executive Online, researchers studying the effects of rude behavior found that both the targets of the rude behavior and the second-hand victims were negatively impacted by just one incident of rudeness.  Problem solving, creativity and learning all decreased after rude behavior occurred.

According to Donna Flagg, founder of The Krysalis Group in New York City, “Oftentimes…the rudest employees also just happen to be the highest producers and line management does not want to let them go.

Here’s the kicker:  Rude + High Producer = Type A on the path to a train wreck.  It’s just a matter of time before things implode.

Pulling rude Type A top performers back on track is not for the timid.  It requires a special touch.  Admonishing, threatening or hog tying a Type A with more rules is only throwing gasoline on a smoldering fire.   If you want to avoid the train wreck, you must get right to the root of the rudeness.

I’m going to tell you a secret.  With the exception of a few nut cases and some celebrity Type A’s who have built billionaire brands on hurling insults, Type A rudeness tends to grow from one of three roots:  frustration, fear or simply being unaware of how they are coming across.

One of the most common problems I help clients solve is how to work with The Type A You Can’t Trust.  The culprit might be the conniving chairwoman,  the slick salesperson or the backstabbing boss.  Usually, these “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” Type A’s are found in positions of influence and power.  They show their ‘good’ face in public and bring out the snarling monster in private.

Here’s the secret to dealing with The Type A You Can’t Trust.

Their game is using inconsistent, destructive behavior to keep you off balance.  Don’t get sucked into their game.  Expect them to be CONSISTENTLY inconsistent.   Plan for their shenanigans.  When you react in a way they don’t expect, THEY will be thrown off balance.  The power shifts to you.

When I ask why the employee hasn’t been given her walking papers, the boss usually spits out, “Because she’s one of our best producers.  She’s too valuable to fire but she makes my life hell and stirs up everybody else!”

I love these kinds of employees and you should, too.  Here’s why.

They’ve still got a fire burning in their gut.  It’s just a misdirected fire.   As a leader it’s a lot easier to re-direct a fire than it is to rekindle cold embers.

I’d much rather have a passionate, pain-in-the-butt employee than one who is a business-as-usual employee or – even worse – an employee that has quit but still comes to work collecting a paycheck.

Re-direct the passion and you’re going to transform the pain-in-the-butt into an outstanding contributor.   I’ve done it myself and I’ve seen it done by other leaders countless times.

But here’s the deal.  You can’t just keep doing your same old leadership tricks and hoping for a different outcome.  You’ve got to drop your attitude and dig beneath your own frustration to discover what is motivating the employee to be difficult.  You need to become Sherlock Holmes.

Here are some questions to help your investigation:

1.  Is the employee angry about some perceived injustice?  (Hint: Bosses tend to expect more out of high performers than they do other employees.)

2.  Is the employee bored?  (Hint: High performers often feed on change and challenge and love to collect the next trophy.)

3.  Is the employee wanting more power and influence in the workplace?  (Hint:  Money only goes so far in rewarding a high performer.  Respect, responsibility and authority – even if it’s coming from the gossip club – often fill the gap between money and meaning.)

4.  Is the employee frustrated about some aspect of their job?  (Hint:  High performers frequently don’t like rules that seem ridiculous or decisions that don’t contribute to results – like time wasting staff meetings or ill-informed strategies.)

5.  What have I done to contribute to this problem?  (Hint:  High performers want to be heard and valued by the folks in charge.  If they only get your attention by causing problems, then that’s what they are going to do.)

One last thing.  Ditch the hero routine.  Don’t try to save a bad apple.  It’ll ruin your whole team.

Let’s face it.  Occasionally even the best leaders hire a dud or inherit a crazy person.  I know because I’ve been in both situations.  If your pain-in-the-butt employee is acting unstable or is a real threat to other people or your business, consult with your HR department pronto to determine the safest and quickest way to deal with them.   Don’t tackle this challenge by yourself.

But… if you have a pain-in-the-butt, high performing employee, get busy!  You’ve got a diamond waiting to be polished.  Want to solve the high performance puzzle quicker?  Call me.  859-266-2436.