In business, interpersonal relationships always prove to be the most challenging. Think the main challenge is budget management, strategy planning, or acquiring new clients? Those are just the tip of the iceberg. The real earthquake begins when your top talent – the person whose skills you value most – regularly undermines your decisions, often publicly within the team. Do you feel your authority eroding with each of these incidents? How do you respond without losing the team’s respect and without alienating a valuable employee?

Why Are Top Specialists Often the Most Challenging?

Imagine this: you introduce a new strategy, and your lead engineer, analyst, or programmer rolls their eyes and says, “This won’t work” or “Again, decisions made without data analysis”. Sound familiar? Highly skilled professionals often have a strong sense of their own worth and a conviction in their viewpoints. And rightly so – their knowledge and experience make them valuable to the organization.

The problem arises when their confidence turns into challenging your authority. Before reacting emotionally, it’s worthwhile to ask yourself: What is the real source of this behavior? Does the specialist genuinely see substantive gaps in your reasoning? Or is it about ego, a need for recognition, or frustration related to other aspects of their job?

The key is to discern whether you are dealing with constructive criticism – albeit inappropriately expressed – or toxic behavior that requires more decisive intervention. In the first case, you could gain valuable perspectives; in the second, you risk losing the respect of the whole team.

Immediate Response – The Art of Setting Boundaries

When a specialist publicly challenges your decisions, you cannot pretend nothing happened. A lack of response is perceived as weakness. However, confrontation in front of the team rarely yields positive outcomes. How do you find the middle ground?

I suggest the “notice and move” strategy. It involves a brief, calm acknowledgment that you see the dissent and appreciate different viewpoints, but that a detailed discussion will take place after the meeting. You might say: “Maciek, I see you have doubts. I value your vigilance. Let’s discuss this in detail right after the meeting, as your insights might be valuable.”

This technique allows both parties to save face and sends a signal to the team that while you value substantive discussion, you do not allow challenges to the established decision-making processes. Remember – the goal is not to avoid criticism, but to establish the proper place and way to express it.

One-on-One Conversation – The Key to Understanding and Change

A private meeting with a “rebellious” specialist is crucial. Treat it not as a reprimand, but as an opportunity for deeper understanding. Start with the positives – acknowledge their expertise and commitment. Then describe specific problematic situations and their impact on the team and the organization.

A crucial question to ask is: “What makes you feel the need to question decisions in such a manner?”. Perhaps the specialist feels that their expert opinion is not being sufficiently considered? Maybe they lack the business context that seems obvious to you? Or perhaps they harbor leadership ambitions that could be channeled differently?

Remember, even the best experts in their fields may have a limited view of the overall business. They often do not see all the dependencies that you, as a leader, must consider. Your task is to present the broader context, not in a patronizing way, but as sharing a perspective that the specialist might not have access to.

Transforming the Critic into an Ally

Upon identifying the source of the problem, you can begin transforming a difficult relationship into productive collaboration. One of the most effective strategies is to involve the specialist earlier in the decision-making process. If they feel their opinion is considered before decisions are made, they are much less likely to challenge them later.

You might propose: “Before I make a decision on the architecture of the new system, I’d like you to analyze these three options and present your recommendations.” By giving the specialist a specific responsibility and acknowledging their knowledge, you build engagement and loyalty.

Another approach is to assign the specialist an area where they will have significant decision-making autonomy. People who enjoy challenging authority often seek influence and control themselves. By giving them their own area of responsibility, you can satisfy this need in a constructive manner.

When HR Support is Needed

There are situations where resolving the issue on your own can be difficult. If the conflict has been ongoing, has personal underpinnings, or negatively affects the entire team, consider involving the HR department. This is not a sign of failure, but a sensible use of available resources.

HR professionals can offer mediation, coaching for both parties, or specialized communication training. Sometimes the presence of a neutral third party helps break the deadlock and find new solutions. HR can also help develop a formal improvement plan if the specialist’s behavior crosses acceptable boundaries.

However, remember that involving HR should be a thoughtful decision, not a reaction in a moment of frustration. Before taking this step, it’s worth exploring all possibilities for direct dialogue and relationship improvement.

Building Long-Term Authority

The most effective way to deal with challenges to your decisions is to build undisputed authority. This is not about being authoritarian, but about authority that comes from competence, consistency, and transparency. How do you build this?

First, always justify your decisions. Even if not everyone agrees with you, they will appreciate that you provide the logic behind your thinking. Second, openly admit to mistakes. Paradoxically, leaders who can say “I was wrong” command more respect than those who pretend to be infallible. Third, be consistent – keep promises and follow through on announced actions.

Also, remember that some specialists need time to accept changes. By giving them space to understand new ideas, you can lessen their initial resistance. What initially appears as a challenge to authority may simply be a process of adapting to new concepts.

When Tough Decisions Must Be Made

Sometimes, despite all efforts, it’s not possible to transform a difficult relationship into productive collaboration. If a specialist consistently sabotages your decisions, impacts the team’s morale negatively, and shows no willingness to change, you must consider tougher solutions.

This may mean transferring the specialist to another team where their skills will be appreciated and personal conflicts less impactful. In extreme cases, it might be necessary to part ways with the employee, even if they are technically competent. Remember, one toxic person, even highly talented, can paralyze the work of the whole team and lead to the departure of other valuable members.

When making such a decision, always act professionally and with respect. It’s not about personal revenge, but the welfare of the organization as a whole.

Ultimately, the ability to handle challenges to your authority is one of the key competencies of a modern leader. Paradoxically, it is in these difficult situations that you have the opportunity to demonstrate your true leadership. Remember, the best leaders are not those who never face resistance but those who can turn conflict into an opportunity for growth – both their own and that of their entire organization. Perhaps in a few months, this “difficult specialist” will become your most loyal ally and best champion of your decisions.