Part 7: When the Star Player Is Sitting Out#
When we last checked in, our most valuable resource had withdrawn his services.
Management attempted to negotiate his return.
The offer was declined.
The project continued anyway.
Because apparently nobody told the Trojans we were experiencing staffing difficulties.
Which brings us to an interesting development.
It turns out the Greeks have quite a few capable people on the team.
Who knew?
Well, probably the Greeks.
They’ve been fighting alongside each other for nearly ten years.
But with Achilles sitting out, we’re getting a closer look at what everyone else can do.
And honestly, the talent pool is rather impressive.
Getting everyone to work together, however, remains an ongoing project.
Apparently, We Have a Special Operations Team#
Achilles is an extraordinary warrior.
If your problem requires someone to charge into battle and overwhelm the opposition, he’s an excellent person to have available.
Unfortunately, he’s currently unavailable.
So the Greeks try something different.
It’s the middle of the night. Nobody can sleep. Senior management is understandably concerned about the enemy camped nearby.
They hold a meeting.
And, in a surprising display of organisational competence, they actually agree on a sensible plan.
They need intelligence.
Enter Diomedes and Odysseus.
Now, Odysseus strikes me as someone who would have made an absolutely magnificent undercover operative.
Give the man a difficult situation, limited information, and a questionable amount of supervision, and he seems positively delighted.
So off they go, sneaking through enemy territory.
They intercept a Trojan spy, obtain intelligence, and discover an opportunity to raid another enemy camp.
What began as reconnaissance turns into a rather successful special operations mission.
Apparently, the Greeks have a stealth department.
And for once, the project has demonstrated that not every problem requires charging directly at it with a spear.
Sometimes you need intelligence, creativity, and two extremely capable people who are comfortable operating in the dark.
Different approach. Different strengths.
Same very inconvenient outcome for the Trojans.
Meanwhile, Senior Management Has Some Surprising Skills#
And then there’s Agamemnon.
Now, if you’ve been following this series, you’ll know his leadership decisions haven’t always been particularly impressive.
But in Book 11, Homer reminds us of something.
Agamemnon is actually a formidable warrior.
And I really enjoyed seeing another side of him.
His battlefield ability doesn’t make his earlier leadership decisions brilliant.
But those decisions don’t erase his competence as a warrior either.
It’s almost as though people are complicated.
How inconvenient for performance management.
Different People. Different Strengths.#
What I love about this part of the story is that nobody suddenly became capable because Achilles stopped fighting.
Odysseus was already clever.
Diomedes was already courageous and resourceful.
Agamemnon was already an excellent warrior.
But without Achilles, we’re seeing more of what the others can do.
And it made me think about how easily teams can become accustomed to solving problems in one particular way.
Especially when that way works really well.
There’s usually someone who knows exactly what to do, who to call, or how to fix things.
And that’s wonderful.
Until they’re unavailable.
Then someone else approaches the problem differently.
Perhaps they see an alternative nobody had considered.
Perhaps they combine skills in an unexpected way.
Or perhaps they simply solve it in a way the usual person wouldn’t have.
Not because they’re better.
Because they’re different.
And sometimes different is exactly what the situation needs.
Unfortunately, the Project Is Still in Trouble#
Of course, none of this means Achilles’ absence has been good for the Greeks.
They’re still in serious difficulty.
A successful night raid doesn’t win the war.
And having other capable people doesn’t magically eliminate the workload or the consequences of losing a critical contributor.
Sometimes the original resource problem still needs to be solved.
Preferably before the remaining team starts disappearing from the battlefield.
But I do love the reminder that capability comes in different forms.
Turns out having a star performer is wonderful.
Having an entire team of capable people is also rather useful.
Especially when your star performer has taken an indefinite period of personal leave.
And the Trojans aren’t accepting requests for an extension.
😂
Originally published on LinkedIn.