Do you have a “brilliant jerk” in your workplace?
The brilliant jerk, sometimes called the toxic rock star, is usually high-performing on one visible metric while causing widespread damage elsewhere. Their behaviour includes bullying, intimidation, exclusion, and contempt. It persists because their results are rewarded, defended, or quietly tolerated by leadership.
In this episode, Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher examine how brilliant jerks are enabled inside organisations and why women, particularly women of colour, experience disproportionate harm from these dynamics.
This is not a conversation about difficult personalities. It is about leadership judgment, accountability, and the long-term cost of protecting toxic individuals because they “deliver”.
In this episode, we discuss
What defines a “brilliant jerk” and how they operate inside organisations
Why toxic behaviour is often overlooked when performance metrics look good
The gendered impact of brilliant jerks, including higher bullying rates experienced by women of colour
How leaders rationalise inaction and the damage this causes to teams and culture
What leaders must do to eliminate brilliant jerks rather than manage around them
For leaders listening
Keeping a brilliant jerk is a leadership choice. It signals what behaviour is tolerated, who is protected, and whose safety is negotiable. Over time, it drives attrition, suppresses talent, and erodes trust.
Resources
Harvard Business Review – Leaders, Stop Rewarding Toxic Rock Stars
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