Coaching Tough Personalities, Aligning on Vision, and Ensuring Inclusive Environments [Office Hours #017]

Your questions. Answered.

👋 Welcome to a 🔒 subscriber-only edition 🔒 of our Office Hours newsletter. Every Tuesday, we tackle reader questions covering the most demanding challenges of management and leadership. (We share our best free content on LinkedIn).

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In this week's edition, we answer:

1. How do you coach a team member who is very intelligent and capable, but dismissive of others' ideas and input?

2. How do you align your team around a long-term vision when people are stuck in short-term thinking or firefighting mode?

3. How do you ensure quieter team members feel equally included in meetings and decision-making?

Let’s get started…

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Question 1:

Fatima from Dubai
How do you coach a team member who is very intelligent and capable, but dismissive of others' ideas and input?

Response:
Dear Fatima,

It’s not uncommon to lead someone who is both sharp and self-assured—but whose behavior unintentionally shuts others down. Coaching this type of individual requires a balance of respect for their expertise and firm guidance on collaboration norms. The goal is to preserve their strengths while developing their emotional intelligence.

1. Provide Private, Specific Feedback Framed Around Impact

Avoid vague phrases like “You come off as dismissive.” Instead, use a recent, factual example:

"In yesterday’s meeting, when you responded with ‘That won’t work,’ before letting the full idea be explained, I noticed the room went quiet. Several teammates later said they felt shut down."

Then, pivot to the bigger picture: “You bring valuable insights—but to make the best decisions, we need everyone contributing. Your voice is important, and so are theirs.”