Photo Credit: © Can Stock Photo / fizkes
Richard had great credentials, and management loved him. He was rocketing through the ranks and gaining credibility year after year. His office walls were covered with plaques, trophies, awards, and honors attesting to his skills.
Years passed, and as a top urban planner he was becoming a staple in the local papers as the neighborhoods and facilities he created and renovated put a quality signature on the company and its subsidiaries. He was building a reputation for the company, the city, and himself.
While he hired a strong and talented support staff and tried to avoid the trappings of success, it became clear that he would always be a micro-manager—insisting that staff members’ creativity take a back seat to “the team” effort. Any individual accomplishment would be momentarily recognized, then immediately blended with the overall theme of the department’s work as a group. Richard felt that individuality would eventually poison the team as personal recognition could breed contempt. In many ways, he was probably right. Sometimes, when high achievers consistently stand out, others begin to repress their contributions and contain their creativity.