Navigating Team Friction and High-Performer Ego

Question

Consulting attracts high-achievers. Describe a time you worked in a team with a 'dominant' personality who was overshadowing others or creating friction. How did you manage the dynamic to ensure the best outcome for the client?

Accepted Answer

On a recent case competition team, I worked with a brilliant but very 'alpha' individual who frequently interrupted others and dismissed ideas that weren't his own. This was stifling the team’s creativity. Instead of confronting him publicly, which would have increased defensiveness, I had a private 'coffee chat' with him. I framed the conversation around our shared goal: winning. I told him, 'Your insights are incredible, but we are missing out on X and Y’s expertise in finance, which is making our final deck vulnerable.' I suggested he take the lead on the 'Synthesis' role—helping to tie everyone's ideas together—rather than the 'Generation' role. This pivoted his energy toward integration rather than dominance. The atmosphere improved immediately, and we ended up winning the competition. This taught me that managing 'big egos' is about redirection, not repression. At BCG, I aim to be the 'connective tissue' in a team, ensuring that the collective intelligence always outweighs any single individual's input.

Navigating Team Friction and High-Performer Ego

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