Why Traditional Tactics for Handling High-Performing Toxic Employees Often Fail

When it comes to high-performing toxic employees, the internet is full of advice. A quick Google search usually presents two paths: the first is to fire them — immediately and decisively — because their behavior will rot your culture from the inside out. The second is a familiar list of human resources (HR) procedures: performance improvement plans (PIPs), documentation, coaching, and eventual disciplinary action if necessary.

While both approaches have merit, they often miss a critical nuance: these employees don’t operate by the same rules as everyone else. And that’s exactly why traditional tactics often fall flat.

The Frustration-Fueled Firing

Let’s start with the “just fire them” crowd. In theory, this sounds clean and decisive. But in reality, it’s rarely that simple.

Firing a high-performing toxic employee usually comes after months — sometimes years — of mounting frustration. Leadership has likely tried several interventions, none of which have stuck. By the time termination becomes the only viable option, it’s often done out of exhaustion rather than strategy.

And that’s a problem.

Firing someone with significant institutional knowledge, deep technical skill, or major client relationships can create ripple effects. Operational gaps, morale shocks, and even client loss can follow. These aren’t decisions to be made in haste. The firing might be necessary, but how you execute it is just as important as the decision itself. This is a time to slow down, not speed up.

This Isn’t Just an HR Problem — It’s a Business Problem

The biggest mistake companies make? Treating a high-performing toxic employee like any other HR issue.

The truth is, this is not a performance management problem — this is a business risk.

These individuals are often extremely intelligent and highly self-aware. They know how to play the game. They understand HR processes and are often skilled at navigating — or manipulating — them. They know a PIP is a box-checking exercise, and they’ll find a way to technically comply while avoiding meaningful change.

And if your company’s strategy is just to “follow the process,” you’ll likely find yourself stuck in an endless loop of well-documented inaction.

Why Traditional HR Tools Fall Short

HR tools and best practices are designed to work on the majority of employees — the 98% who respond to feedback, who want to grow, and who may just need support to get back on track.

But the high-performing toxic employee is part of the 2% who know the system — and know how to make sure it doesn’t work on them.

They hit their numbers. They deliver results. They make themselves indispensable. So every time a manager raises concerns, there’s always a counterpoint: "Yes, but look at what they achieved."

This is what makes them so difficult to manage. They’re not failing. They’re excelling — and they're eroding your culture, your team morale, and potentially your long-term business health at the same time.

A Strategic Approach, Not a Checkbox One

So what’s the answer?

It starts with reframing the issue. Stop thinking about this as a compliance problem. Think of it as a strategic business decision. Consider these steps:

• Assess the true cost. Look beyond performance metrics. How many people have left because of this individual? How much time are managers spending managing the fallout? What’s the impact on collaboration, innovation, and morale?

• Build a coalition. If the issue is persistent, it’s probably visible to more than one team. Bring together other leaders who’ve seen the impact and create a united front. Toxic behavior thrives in divided organizations.

• Create a transition plan. If firing becomes the necessary step, prepare for it thoughtfully. Who will take over their responsibilities? How will you communicate the decision internally? What support will the team need afterward?

• Don’t wait too long. The longer a toxic high-performer stays, the more damage they do — and the more others will question leadership’s courage or values. If you’ve made the decision, act with care but don’t drag your feet.

Final Thoughts

High-performing toxic employees are not an ordinary management challenge. They are business-critical issues that require more than a templated HR response.

Yes, it might end in termination. But the key is to ensure that every step leading there is deliberate, well-supported, and rooted in protecting the health of the business — not just checking boxes in a policy binder.

What You Allow, Will Continue: How Management Creates High-Performing Toxic Employees

One of the most common — and damaging — myths in the workplace is that high-performing toxic employees are just “difficult people.” That they’re inherently hard to work with. That it’s a personality issue, and there’s nothing anyone can really do.

But that’s not the truth.

The number one cause of high-performing toxic employees?
Management.

Not “bad” management, necessarily — just unprepared management.

Most Managers Weren’t Trained for This

Let’s be honest: most managers didn’t choose management because they loved leading people.
They were promoted because they were good at their last job. And suddenly, they were responsible for performance, culture, behavior, and feedback — with little to no training in any of it.

That’s not their fault. But it is a problem.

Because here’s the thing:

Inaction is the worst kind of action.

A wise woman once told me something that stuck with me to this day:
“What you allow will continue.”

And when it comes to high-performing toxic employees, that couldn’t be more true.

Toxic Behavior Isn’t Born — It’s Grown

Nobody grows up aspiring to become a high-performing toxic employee.
And in most cases, they don’t even know that they are one.

They’ve been rewarded for results. Promoted for outcomes. Given more freedom, more influence, and more responsibility — all while their behavioral red flags were ignored or brushed aside.

Why?
Because leadership was scared to rock the boat.
Because management didn’t know how to have the hard conversations.
Because the company didn’t have the tools to address brilliance that came with baggage.

So what happened?

Nothing.
And when nothing is done — it sends a message:

“This behavior is fine.”
“This is how top performers act.”
“There are no consequences.”

And what you allow… continues.

High Performers Speak a Different Language

The people who are truly great at what they do often think differently. They move faster. They see around corners. And they tend to reject one-size-fits-all systems — because most systems are designed for average employees.

And that’s the key insight here:

High performers don’t need standard management.
They need tailored management — and more importantly, they need clear, high-context communication.

Almost every problem in the workplace is a communication problem.
And every problem that persists is usually a communication failure.

Telling a high performer that their behavior is “causing tension” or “disrupting team dynamics” in vague HR-speak won’t land. You need to speak their language. You need to build trust. You need to give feedback in a way they’ll understand — and respect.

That’s not something most managers are taught how to do.
But it’s something all leaders must learn.

The Bottom Line

High-performing toxic employees don’t happen in a vacuum. They happen in environments where:

• Behavior goes unaddressed

• Expectations go unspoken

• Leadership is afraid to confront performance with accountability

• And managers aren’t equipped to manage people who don’t play by the usual rules

If you want to change the outcome, you have to change the environment.

You have to stop letting things slide.
You have to speak up — clearly, consistently, and early.
Because what you allow will always, always continue.

And the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to course-correct.

So if you’ve got a high-performing employee who’s starting to show signs of toxicity — don’t wait.
Don’t hope it goes away.
Don’t assume they know better.

Start the conversation.
Start managing them differently.
Start now.

Managing the Unmanageable: A Manager’s Guide to Leading High-Performing Toxic Employees

There’s no training for this.

You’re a manager. You’ve worked hard, climbed the ladder, and now you’re leading a team. And somewhere along the way, you inherited (or hired) someone brilliant — someone who delivers incredible results — and also quietly (or not-so-quietly) erodes the team from the inside.

They’re not just difficult. They’re high-performing and toxic. And no one ever taught you how to manage that combination.

The Truth: This Isn’t Your Fault — But It Is Your Responsibility

Let’s start with what most people won’t tell you: the presence of a high-performing toxic employee is not a sign that you’ve failed as a leader. It’s a signal that you’ve entered a level of leadership complexity most managers aren’t trained for.

These employees aren’t inherently bad. Most don’t even know their behavior is a problem. They’ve been praised for outcomes and never held accountable for impact. They’ve been left unchecked — not because anyone wanted to ignore it, but because no one knew what to do about it.

What you allow will continue. And now it’s your move.

Why Traditional Tactics Don’t Work

You’ve probably already tried a few of these:

• Giving subtle feedback

• Referring them to HR

• Starting a performance improvement plan (PIP)

• Hoping things will get better

But here’s the hard truth: those strategies weren’t designed for this kind of employee. High-performing toxic individuals are often in the 2% who understand systems better than the people running them. They know how to look cooperative while resisting real change. They can be charming, compliant — and corrosive, all at the same time.

They require a different playbook. One that starts with you.

Step One: Stop Treating This as a Behavior Issue

It’s tempting to focus on the behavior — the eye rolls in meetings, the condescending tone, the backchannel complaints. But here’s the thing:

Behavior is the symptom.
Environment is the cause.

Ask yourself:

• Has anyone ever actually told them the truth — in language they understand?

• Are they reacting to dysfunction, poor leadership, or a misfit role?

• Are you managing them the way they need to be managed, or the way everyone else is?

High performers often speak a different language. If you’re using vague HR scripts or “check the box” feedback, they’re not hearing you. And if they’re not hearing you, they’re not changing.

Step Two: Shift from Management to Strategic Resolution

Managing a high-performing toxic employee isn’t about “fixing” them. It’s about protecting the business, the team, and your leadership credibility.

That starts by reframing the goal.

Your job isn’t to fix them. Your job is to resolve the issue — whatever that takes.

That might look like:

• A structured, high-context feedback intervention

• A role redesign that better fits their strengths

• A clear boundary with clear consequences

• A well-planned exit that protects the team

But here’s the key: don’t do this alone.

You need executive support. You need cross-functional insight. And yes, you need HR — not to run the process, but to support a business-led strategy.

Because this isn’t just a personnel issue. It’s a business risk.

Step Three: Measure the Real Cost

Here’s what managers often miss: performance isn’t just about what someone delivers — it’s also about what they cost.

Ask yourself:

• How much time are you spending managing this person’s drama instead of leading your team?

• How many strong team members have left (or disengaged) because of their presence?

• What’s the reputational risk if this behavior leaks outside the team — or the company?

Sometimes the numbers don’t show up on the balance sheet… until they do.

Step Four: Decide — and Act

Once you’ve gathered the facts, talked to your peers, and gotten leadership aligned, you’ll face a decision point.

Will you keep them and change the structure?

Will you coach them up with high-accountability support?

Will you transition them out — thoughtfully and strategically?

Whatever path you choose, act with clarity and confidence. The worst thing you can do is stall. Every month you wait, the damage compounds. Culture erodes. Credibility suffers. And your team watches.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

If you’re managing a high-performing toxic employee and feel like you’re out of options — you’re not. You’re just out of traditional options.

This is where outside support becomes critical. Not to replace your leadership, but to support it. To help you assess the true cost, diagnose the real root issue, and build a resolution strategy that protects your people, your performance, and your future.

Because what you allow will continue.

And great leaders don’t let toxicity thrive under their watch — no matter how talented the source.

Here's the Truth: HR Can’t Fix a Business Problem Alone

High-performing toxic employees aren’t just behaving badly — they’re sending signals that something deeper is broken. And while HR plays a critical role in identifying, documenting, and coaching… this isn't your problem to solve alone.

Why?

Because the cost of inaction isn’t HR’s to carry — it’s the company’s bottom line.

And the traditional steps — documentation, PIPs, coaching — are designed for the 98% of employees who respond to structure.

The high-performing toxic employee is in the other 2%.

They’re smart enough to game the system.
They know the rules.
They know how close they can get to the line — and they walk it every day.

What You Allow Will Continue

Let’s be honest: most high-performing toxic employees don’t even know their behavior is perceived as toxic. Why?

Because no one has told them.
Or worse — they were told using a language they don’t understand.

Exceptional employees often operate on a different frequency.
They don’t respond to HR scripts.
They require directness, clarity, and a level of management most managers simply aren’t equipped for.

And that’s the problem. This behavior isn’t just enabled by management — it’s created by it.

So What Can HR Do?

Push back.
Not with defensiveness — with clarity.

“This is not just a personnel issue.
This is a strategic risk to the business.
And it requires a cross-functional solution, not just an HR one.”

Your role is to raise the flag that no one else wants to see.
To challenge leadership to own the operational, financial, and cultural impact of this employee.
To stop allowing a problem to fester just because someone’s good at their job.

Because being good at your job should never excuse being bad for your company.

Reframe the Question

When leadership asks, “Can HR fix this?”
Your response should be:

“What do we need to do, as a company, to resolve this?”

Because “fixing” implies this is a people problem.
But resolving implies this is a business priority.

And that’s exactly what it is.

Sometimes the Right Move Is to Let Them Go.

Sometimes It’s to Help Them Grow.
But You Can't Do It Alone.

This is where our work begins.

We don’t come in to run your HR team.
We come in to solve the problem behind the problem — the one impacting revenue, operations, morale, and retention.

Sometimes the solution is exit.
Sometimes it’s intervention.
But it’s always data-driven, deeply collaborative, and focused on one thing: positive business impact.

HR Can Be the Catalyst — Not the Cleanup Crew

You know the risks.
You see the cracks.
You understand the impact.

Use your voice.

Push for a strategic resolution, not a procedural one.
Call the problem what it is: bigger than HR.

And let’s resolve it — together.