Every team has known one. The brilliant performer everyone tiptoes around, whose results are undeniable and whose presence is exhausting. For years companies told themselves the trade-off was worth it. Quietly, it never really was.

Dr. Katrina Burrus, one of the world's first Master Certified Coaches, joins Sana to talk about what happens when a leader stops being the cost their team has to pay, and how brilliant jerks can become leaders people want to follow.

About the Guest:

Dr. Katrina Burrus is the CEO of Excellent Executive Coaching and one of the first Master Certified Coaches worldwide. A founding board member of ICF Switzerland, she wrote Managing Brilliant Jerks and has coached leaders at Nestlé, Novartis, the WHO, and the UN.

Key Takeaways:

Brilliance doesn't cancel the cost; toxic behavior shows up as turnover, absenteeism, and mistakes.
These leaders can change, but it takes a specialized process, not a quick "be nicer."
Specific, confidential feedback gets a high performer's attention because they hate underperforming.
Change isn't linear; under pressure, old patterns get triggered, and that's where coaching helps.
Prepare the wider team too, so genuine change is welcomed rather than met with suspicion.

Connect With the Guest:

Website: excellentexecutivecoaching.com (free resources, TED talk, free strategy call)

Book: Managing Brilliant Jerks

Episode Chapters: (approx.)

[00:00] The brilliant performer everyone tiptoes around

[02:00] What drew her to this work: when words wound

[07:00] The trade-off myth: brilliance doesn't excuse the cost

[13:00] Honest feedback without judgment, and the boss in the room

[20:00] A real example: destroying a peer to impress the boss

[27:30] Why caring, and preparing the team, makes change stick

[32:30] To the leader quietly carrying the cost

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