Question: In my team, there is a high performer with poor behaviour. Do I address it, or protect performance?

Answer: You should address it. Protecting performance at the expense of behaviour almost always costs you more in morale, retention, and long-term output than it gains in short-term results. More importantly, condoning toxic behaviour will undermine your legitimacy as a leader.

Performance is not just output. Sustainable performance includes how you achieve results: through relationships, trust, and repeatability. If the “how” is broken, the results are fragile. Toxic high performers hinder collaboration, slow down decision-making, increase turnover of good people, and force you to spend disproportionate time managing fallout.

Furthermore, when you allow a high performer to behave poorly, others will infer that results excuse disrespect. That quietly reshapes your team’s norms and invites copycat behaviour. Remember: the standard you walk past is the standard you get! Based on what you are prepared to tolerate, your people will (rightly) conclude that your focus as a leader is all about what you can “get” in results, rather than what you can “give” as an investment in their care and growth.

Finally, behavioural standards are informed by the values of your organisation – they make explicit for people what it means to “live the values” in everyday practice. When you tolerate toxic behaviour to protect results, you signal to your team that the organisation’s values don’t really matter.