Ever hired someone who looked like a literal godsend on paper? They’ve got the MBA. They’ve got the glowing references from some VP at a Fortune 500. They interview like a dream, saying all the right things about "synergy" and "deliverables." Then, three weeks in, you realize you've made a massive mistake. You didn’t hire a superstar. You hired a disruptor in the worst way possible. Everyone starts whispering about his devilish new hire around the water cooler, and suddenly, your culture is on fire.
It happens. More often than most CEOs want to admit.
There’s this specific brand of "devilish" hire that isn't just bad at their job. If they were just incompetent, you could train them or fire them quickly. No, these folks are highly competent but toxic. They are "Brilliant Jerks." Reed Hastings, the co-founder of Netflix, famously wrote about this in the Netflix Culture Memo, stating that the cost to effective teamwork is simply too high to keep them around, regardless of how "brilliant" they are.
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The Psychology of the Toxic High-Performer
Why do we keep falling for it? Honestly, it’s usually ego or desperation. When a manager is under water, they look for a "savior." They see a resume that screams "I can fix everything," and they ignore the subtle red flags during the lunch interview. Maybe the candidate was slightly condescending to the server. Maybe they took 100% of the credit for a team project at their last firm.
We tell ourselves it doesn't matter. We think, "I'm not hiring them to be my friend; I'm hiring them to hit targets."
That’s a trap.
Robert Sutton, a professor at Stanford University and author of The No Asshole Rule, has spent years researching this. He argues that toxic employees—especially those in positions of power—create a "de-energizing" effect. They don't just do their own work; they actively make everyone else around them worse. Productivity doesn't just dip; it craters because everyone is too busy managing the new hire's personality instead of doing their actual jobs.
Spotting the Devilish New Hire Before the Contract is Signed
You've gotta look past the skills. Hard skills are the easy part. You can test for coding ability or financial modeling. What’s harder to sniff out is the "cultural debt" someone brings with them.
One of the biggest red flags is the "Kiss Up, Kick Down" dynamic. These individuals are incredibly charming to anyone above them in the hierarchy but are dismissive or even cruel to subordinates. If you’re a hiring manager, you might never see it. This is why "peer interviewing" is so vital. If the person who would be their assistant or their junior associate feels "off" about them, listen. They are seeing a version of that person that you aren't.
Real-World Fallout: When "Brilliant" Isn't Enough
Let's talk about Uber. Back in 2017, the company became the poster child for what happens when you prioritize growth and "hustle" over basic human decency. Susan Fowler’s famous blog post about the systemic issues there highlighted how "high performers" were protected even when they were clearly toxic or harassing others. The "devilish" hire in that context wasn't just one person; it was a whole archetype of employee that the company actively sought out.
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It nearly destroyed them.
It took a total leadership overhaul and years of rebranding to even begin to fix that damage. The lesson? A "devilish" hire who produces great numbers in the short term is actually a long-term liability. They are a "toxic asset" on your human capital balance sheet.
The Cost of the Wrong Fit
Basically, the math never works out in your favor.
- Direct Costs: The salary, the signing bonus, the headhunter fees. You’re looking at 1.5x to 2x their annual salary just to replace them.
- Turnover Contagion: Your best people don't want to work with jerks. If you keep a toxic hire, your A-players will leave. They have options. They won't stick around to be treated poorly.
- Legal Liability: In 2026, the legal landscape for workplace culture is tighter than ever. A "devilish" hire who creates a hostile work environment is a walking lawsuit.
How to Manage the Situation When You’ve Already Made the Hire
So, you’ve realized it. You’re lying awake at 2:00 AM thinking about his devilish new hire and wondering how you got here. What now?
First, stop hoping they'll change. They won't. People rarely change their fundamental personality because of a quarterly performance review. You have to be decisive.
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If they are truly toxic—not just "learning the ropes" but actually damaging the team—you need to move fast. Radical Candor author Kim Scott talks about "Guidance, Teamwork, and Results." If a new hire is hitting the results but failing at teamwork, they are a "Competent Jerk." In her framework, you have to give them immediate, direct feedback. No "sandwich method" (where you hide a critique between two compliments). Just the facts.
"When you spoke over Sarah in the meeting, it shut down the creative process. If that happens again, we’re going to have a serious problem."
Most of the time, the "devilish" hire will react with defensiveness. That’s your sign. If they can’t take accountability, you have to start the exit process immediately. Documentation is your best friend here. Record the specific instances where their behavior violated company values. Don't wait for the six-month mark.
The Power of the "Pre-Mortem"
To avoid this in the future, try a "Pre-Mortem." Before you sign the offer letter, sit your hiring team down. Say: "It’s six months from now, and this hire has been a total disaster. Why did it happen?"
This forces everyone to voice those tiny, nagging doubts they were suppressing because they liked the candidate's resume. Maybe someone noticed they were late to every interview. Maybe someone saw a weirdly aggressive post on their LinkedIn. These "small" things are usually the smoke before the fire.
Actionable Steps for Management
If you're currently dealing with a hire that feels a bit too much like a deal with the devil, here is how you handle it:
- Audit the Team Sentiment: Don't just ask "How's the new guy?" Ask specific questions like, "How has the team's workflow changed since the new hire started?" or "Are there any roadblocks in communication you've noticed lately?"
- Set Culture KPIs: Make "collaboration" or "mentorship" a measurable part of their onboarding goals. If they hit their sales targets but have a 0% rating on internal collaboration, you have an objective reason to let them go.
- The "No-Go" Clause: Use probationary periods effectively. Don't let them just lapse. Have a formal "Keep or Release" meeting at 60 days.
- Prioritize the Group Over the Individual: If one person is making ten people miserable, the math is simple. Protect the ten.
The reality is that his devilish new hire is often a reflection of a flawed hiring process that values prestige over pulse. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but once you’ve been through it, you’ll never prioritize a "rockstar" resume over a "reliable" human being again.
Fix the process. Trust your gut. And for heaven's sake, if the team says someone is a nightmare, believe them the first time. It saves a lot of sleep and a lot of money in the long run.
Next Steps for Recovery
Start by conducting "stay interviews" with your existing top performers to gauge the damage. This isn't about the new hire—it's about making sure your best people feel heard and protected. If the new hire's behavior has been egregious, a private apology to the affected team members can go a long way in rebuilding trust. Finally, update your interview scorecard to include "low-ego" indicators, ensuring that the next person you bring through the door is someone who elevates the room rather than draining it.