How a Leader Can Undermine a Core Employee: 13 Counterproductive Tactics

Continuing the "how to wreck" series, the article provocatively asks: "How can a leader sabotage a core employee?" and presents thirteen tongue‑in‑cheek tactics that, if followed, will systematically destroy a high‑performing team member.

1. Keep them coddled. Treat the core employee like a prized possession, pampering them endlessly so they never face any hardship.

2. Set no high goals. Assume they will self‑motivate; simply wait on a bench while they supposedly grow on their own.

3. Overpay them constantly. Offer ever‑increasing salaries, believing money solves all problems and eliminates any reason to leave.

4. Trust them unconditionally. Give them blind confidence, even if they might betray you, to create a false sense of security.

5. Make them a role model. Elevate them as the team’s exemplar, provoking jealousy and internal competition that wears them down.

6. Assign all critical projects to them. Load them with the most important work, using their talent as a disposable resource.

7. Deny training opportunities. Keep them busy with endless operational tasks, leaving no time for skill development.

8. Shield them from new business. Restrict them to familiar tasks, preventing exposure to innovation or growth.

9. Praise them publicly to the boss. Inflate their ego so they see you as an obstacle to their advancement.

10. Take them to industry forums. Introduce them to influential figures, facilitating future poaching by competitors.

11. Micromanage their personal life. Monitor every aspect of their private affairs, from sleep patterns to relationships.

12. Use PUA tactics to retain them. Manipulate them emotionally, convincing them they are indispensable yet dependent.

13. Position them as the successor. Hint that they are the heir apparent, sparking envy and internal politics that ultimately backfire.

The author concludes that nurturing a core employee is difficult and advises readers to reflect on these destructive habits, noting that any effort to “wreck” talent will inevitably backfire.