Displacing Jerks: 7s Hire 5s, and 9s Hire 10s
“7s Hire 5s, 9’s hire 10s”. — Jeffrey J. Fox
The most certain path to infuse an organisation with mediocrity, incompetence, or indifference is to bring in managers who are weak, defensive, or average. Jeffrey Fox, a previous guest on The Innovation Show, coined the idea that “7s hire 5s, and 9s hire 10s”. This concept highlights the critical importance of recruiting exceptional individuals and underscores the detrimental impact that subpar or average managers can have on organisations, spanning from sports teams to business enterprises.
The central point is that supervisors of average caliber (rated as 7s) typically recruit individuals who are less competent than themselves (rated as 5s). In contrast, top-tier leaders and managers (rated as 9s and 10s) tend to select highly talented individuals without feeling threatened by their potential. The repercussions of the 7s hiring 5s dynamic are substantial, significantly diminishing the overall performance of the team and introducing mediocrity, incompetence, or indifference into the organisational culture.
Compounding the issue, a manager rated as a 7 often obstructs anyone displaying signs of progress. In some cases, 7s go to the extent of sabotaging careers by manipulating performance reviews or bad-mouthing those who show potential. The most detrimental among them will climb the corporate ladder and, instead of fostering a supportive environment, will selfishly pull up the ladder. All this dysfunctional behaviour is exasperated when those in power are stressed or have a bad day! Is this behaviour human normal? Does it happen in the animal kingdom too?
Former guest of The Innovation Show, neuroendocrinology researcher and prolific author Robert Sapolsky sheds some light on these dynamics. His vivid descriptions of primate behaviour provide a stark illustration of the cascading effects of hierarchy within a social structure. Consider a scenario where a big male loses a fight, setting off a chain reaction. He chases a sub-adult male, and that sub-adult male bites an adult female, in turn, she slaps a juvenile, who then knocks an infant out of a tree. And all this happens within a mere fifteen seconds!
This swift escalation of aggression encapsulates the psychological turmoil that permeates primate cultures when those at the top of the hierarchy experience a bad day or are just plain jerks. Sapolsky, drawing from decades of research, emphasises the tremendous psychological stress imposed on individuals further down the hierarchy. The lack of control and predictability in such situations can have profound consequences for the psychological well-being of those lower in the hierarchy.
The link between stress and hierarchy in baboons, as identified by Sapolsky, reveals a fascinating parallel to human social structures. In baboon troops, where survival requires political savvy, the most cunning and aggressive males secure top rank, reaping the benefits of their position. However, as Sapolsky candidly admits, the dynamics among baboons can be disconcerting. They exhibit traits of scheming, backstabbing, and Machiavellian behaviour akin to organisations that hire badly or develop their people poorly, if at all.
In such environments, when dominant individuals experience negative emotions like anger, fear, confusion, or a sense of threat, they tend to unleash their stress on those subordinate to them. This behaviour, observed in primates, mirrors a darker aspect of human interaction where those in positions of power may resort to blaming and punishing those beneath them when facing personal challenges. However, the study “Winners Don’t Punish” introduces a compelling counter-narrative that challenges this ingrained pattern of behaviour.
A Human Perspective
“A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.” — Confucius
The study delves into the psychology of winners and their response to adversity. Unlike the baboon society where those at the top tend to deflect onto those below them, this research suggests winners don’t punish. Instead of perpetuating a cycle of blame and retribution, they exhibit higher emotional intelligence and resilience, navigating challenges without resorting to scapegoating. It reminds me of what Jim Collins calls “The Window and the Mirror”. This is a trait Collins and his team observed in every top-performing company leader in a landmark study. The essence of the Window and the Mirror leader is crediting others for the company’s success and blaming themselves for the company’s failings. Such leaders believe if mistakes happen on their watch, it is their fault, not others.
So what do you do if your organisation is overrun by 7s? A tragedy in Sapolsky’s research suggests a powerful clue. The first troop he ever studied was called the Keekorok group. This troop of baboons, initially characterised by aggressive males and a highly hierarchical, stratified society, experienced a remarkable cultural transformation after a tragedy resulted in the death of nearly half the males. Notably, the casualties were predominantly aggressive and socially disconnected individuals. The absence of these “jerks” led to a renewal of the troop’s culture, with the remaining males exhibiting positive behaviours — being socially affiliative, not aggressive, and respectful to females (unlike the departed jerks).
This change persisted for two decades, highlighting the lasting impact of removing negative elements from a group. The observation underscores the potential revitalisation of a community and the positive effects on stress levels and overall well-being when toxic individuals are excluded. The lesson can extend to the workplace too. We can renew an organisation and nurture a new culture if we hire carefully and ensure that if we have 7s, we offer them development. If they resist the development, we remove these bad apples before they spoil the barrel.
Thanks for Reading
For more on this topic:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/organisational-innovation-envy-pyrrhic-victories-aidan-mccullen/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/should-we-fire-star-performers-black-walnuts-prima-donnas-mccullen/
Check out the latest episode of The Innovation Show with Paolo Gallo
And here is Sapolsky
And Sapolsky on The Innovation Show
