This type is not difficult to spot. Basically he’s out to make as much
bonus as he can in a given year and he’ll do anything, anything, to get to the
figures that will achieve it. All he’s interested in is the bottom line, his
bottom line. He’s in the business of maximizing extractable value for himself.
The long term interests of the department or the firm are of no concern to him.
He wants to make his pile while the going is good. Let someone else sort out
the mess tomorrow. Examples of this type litter the financial services sector;
Wall Street is their breeding ground. Cashing in multi-million dollar bonuses
while their company and the international economy was blown up!
So, how to handle them?
Well, appealing to their integrity and laying out the long term needs
of the company are just a waste of time. Selfish moneygrubbers are in the
instant gratification business; I want my reward and I want it now!
If you know that their attitude is not shared by either their boss, or
key stakeholders then you can inform them of the risky behavior and use them to
control the person.
If their superior is of the same mind set then it’s either time to bail
out – in other words find another job - or go along for the ride, but with your
eyes wide open. Don’t expect it to last, make sure there’s a paper trail that
exonerates you – legal fees can be costly, and don’t have any of your pension
fund money invested in the company. Remember Enron, Bear Stearns, and Lehman
Brothers.
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