That Guy

I recently heard Henry Cloud speak from his very powerful book, Necessary Endings. Cloud used the phrase “That Guy” to label the team member in every company who is holding the rest of the team back from greatness. Cloud’s talk led me to reflect back on so many organizations where I have met “That Guy.” The person is usually someone who has been with the business for a long time, maybe from the beginning, and has made invaluable contributions. The problem is that, as the company has grown and changed over the years, they have not. Do you have someone like that in your company? (By the way, my favorite stories are those where the owner/executive has addressed the situation and successfully moved “That Guy” to a position where they can continue to put their talents to the best use.)