His team calls him “Dangerous Dave” for good reason. Perhaps it’s that inappropriate comment Dave is prone to blurt out or maybe it’s a lapse in his judgment that triggers the first domino.
He’s not a terrible person. In fact, Dave typically has the best of intentions. He’s just an eternal optimist. And he never seems to notice the aftershock following behind him. Dave has what you might call “intermittent blind spots” and he lives in a constant state of denial.
To make matters worse, Dave’s boss can seldom anticipate the timing of Dave’s next calamitous move. Even more troubling, Dave won’t bring a brewing catastrophe to anyone’s attention.
So why does Dave’s team tolerate him?
It’s simple. On nine days out of 10, his contribution to the team is substantial. And every time he does something helpful, teammates are once again tempted to forget about his latest faux pas. But when Dave bungles it, he offsets every positive action he’s taken in one fatal blow. And it’s a vicious cycle.
Sure, Dave’s technically awesome. But on a practical level, Dave is blind to the subtleties of his behavior.
So, is there a Dangerous Dave on your jobsite? The ramifications are worth considering.
When it comes to business, Dave is amazingly self-assured. He’s a problem solver. In those magical moments when Dave saves the day, you want to hug him. But when the stakes are high and you can least afford a miscue, the carnage Dave creates is legendary.
Here are nine questions to help spot a Dangerous Dave before he wreaks havoc on a jobsite or in the office
- Do his jokes often strike a nerve in an unsuspecting bystander?
- Is there evidence that his family’s patience has worn thin?
- In the past, have you considered promoting him but decided against it each time?
- Do you feel sorry for the fact that he frequently undermines his own success?
- Do you continue to discover new and different things that he can do?
- Are you often tempted to give him just one more try?
- Do your team members frequently surprise you with startling new stories about Dave?
- Are you allowing your soft heart to guide your logic?
- Has he randomly cost you a small fortune in unintended consequences?
If you answered yes to seven or more of these questions, here’s the inconvenient truth: Businesses can’t afford to have Dave on their payroll. No matter how much they would love to rehabilitate him, it’s not worth it.
Here’s an even more sobering thought: Businesses will likely have to fire Dave if they don’t take action. So what can business owners do now if they are dead set on keeping Dangerous Dave?
Here are five suggestions listed in order of importance.
- Reassign any people who report directly to Dave so that you limit his legal liability.
- Put Dave in charge of special projects with limited downside.
- Role play any important customer interactions before Dave leaves the office.
- Check on Dave to ensure he’s following agreed upon processes.
- Avoid any temptation to promote Dave. He will be even more lethal with more responsibility.
His team calls him Dangerous Dave for good reason. Business owners must not let him shake confidence in themselves.
