Handling a Talented But Toxic Team Member

You're facing the classic 'brilliant jerk' dilemma that plagues creative industries, but it's solvable with the right framework. First, shift from general behavioral feedback to specific impact documentation. Track exact instances where his behavior directly affected business metrics: delayed projects, increased revisions, recruitment costs for replacing departed talent, and team velocity measurements before and after his involvement. This translates 'cultural problems' into business impact language executives understand. Next, implement a structured mentorship program pairing him with junior creatives where his performance evaluation explicitly includes their growth and retention - this creates accountability for developing others rather than diminishing them. Simultaneously, restructure your creative process to include mandatory multi-point feedback sessions where all voices must be acknowledged, creating process-driven rather than personality-driven guardrails. With your executive creative director, reframe the conversation from the false dichotomy of 'talent versus culture' to the more accurate 'short-term output versus sustainable creative ecosystem.' Present data from agencies showing that diverse, psychologically safe creative teams produce more innovative work over time. Finally, be transparent with this individual that while his creative excellence is valued, continued advancement will require leadership capabilities. Offer executive coaching resources specifically targeted at creative leadership, with clear improvement milestones. If these interventions fail, the decision becomes clearer for everyone involved - you've exhausted improvement pathways and can confidently prioritize team health.