You’re Never Above the Rules—Even If You’re Brilliant

 

What Happens When Talent Is Mistaken for Immunity

You’re Never Above the Rules—No Matter How Talented You Are

The first time I walked into Pinnacle Distribution’s massive Chicago warehouse, Jenna Solvar was the one who showed me around. She moved quickly through the aisles, talking nonstop as she pointed out systems, shortcuts, and procedures.

“The WMS will freeze up if you enter shipping codes before scanning the barcode,” she said, typing fast. “The manual says otherwise, but that just slows everything down. Watch how I do it.”

The Warehouse Wizard

Jenna had been there for three years before I arrived. Everyone called her the “warehouse wizard.” No one understood the complex inventory management system better. When things went wrong, Jenna fixed them. When new hires got stuck, Jenna trained them.

~ “If you’re struggling, just ask Jenna,” became the go-to advice.

But while she was brilliant, Jenna wasn’t easy to work with. She snapped at slower learners, rolled her eyes in meetings, and her condescending tone rubbed people the wrong way. I once overheard someone say, “Just because she knows the system doesn’t mean she can talk to people like that.”

An Unexpected Promotion

Six months in, the department was restructured. To almost everyone’s surprise—including Jenna—I was promoted to supervisor, then warehouse manager. The day the news broke, I found Jenna slamming inventory bins with a force that said everything.

“Congrats,” she said, not looking at me. “Let me know if you need help figuring out the quarterly inventory protocols.”

It was awkward at first. She answered my questions with dense tech-speak, skipped eye contact, and barely acknowledged my authority. But over time, we found a groove. I respected her technical expertise, and she began to see I wasn’t trying to replace her—I was there to lead people and run operations.

Eventually, we even had lunch together now and then, trading stories about weekend hikes or Netflix shows.

The Persistent Problem

Still, one thing never changed: Jenna’s chronic lateness. At first, it was a few minutes. Then it became half an hour. Then an hour. She always had a reason—traffic, train delays, bad sleep. And the truth was, once she arrived, she worked miracles. She cleared backlogs in half the time it took anyone else.

I tried to be flexible.

“Would a 9-to-5 schedule work better?” I asked.

Her face lit up. “Yes! My brain doesn’t work before 9 anyway.”

It worked—for two weeks. Then 9 became 9:30. Then 10. Sometimes even 11.

Still, she delivered. So I kept covering for her, shifting tasks, and telling upper management, “Jenna’s on the inventory project—she’ll be in later.”

But the team noticed. I started hearing the whispers.

~ “Must be nice to make your own hours.”

“Guess the rules don’t apply to everyone.”

The Breaking Point

It all caught up during an HR time audit.

“Jenna’s been late 37 times in the last two months,” said Melissa from HR, showing me the report. “Average delay? Ninety minutes. Can you explain?”

I couldn’t.

We brought Jenna in for a meeting.

“You’re incredibly valuable,” said my director, Jack. “But no one’s exempt from expectations.”

“I get results,” Jenna snapped. “Who else can debug the system in an hour? Who trained half the team?”

“All true,” I said. “But what message does it send when others see you arriving hours late without consequences?”

She promised to do better. For two weeks, she did. Then the late arrivals started again—worse than before.

The Final Decision

One morning, Melissa showed up at my office. “Is this still manageable?” she asked gently.

I paused.

~ “I’ve tried everything. Adjusting her schedule, multiple talks, coaching. Nothing sticks.”

She nodded. “Then we need to act.”

That afternoon, Jenna was called to HR. Twenty minutes later, she walked out carrying a small box, eyes down, saying nothing as she passed through the warehouse one last time.

The Aftermath

Losing her hit us hard. Training a replacement took months. System crashes that would’ve taken her minutes to fix now caused hours of delays. Her absence exposed just how much we had come to rely on her.

About a year later, I ran into her at a coffee shop. She looked different—quieter, more reflective.

“How’ve you been?” I asked.

“It’s been rough,” she admitted. “Had to move in with a friend. Took me almost 18 months to find another job.” She paused. “I wish I’d listened to you.”

“For what it’s worth, I really tried to make it work.”

“I know,” she said. “I just thought the rules didn’t apply to me because of what I brought to the table. Turns out, showing up is part of what you bring.”

As she walked away, I thought about what we both learned.

Talent is valuable—but it doesn’t excuse breaking the rules that keep a team functioning. No one should be above the expectations that create fairness and trust.

Using This Lesson for Yourself

How to apply this in your own work:

• Look for blind spots. Are you relying on your skills while ignoring basics like timeliness or communication?
• Don’t confuse being great at your job with being exempt from the rules.
• Respect the structure that helps teams succeed—it only works if everyone contributes to it equally.

Lesson Checklist

• Do I meet the basic expectations I expect from others?
  • Am I overlooking bad behavior because someone’s talented?
  • Is there someone on my team who delivers but damages morale?
  • Have I created double standards without realizing it?
  • Am I holding top performers to the same standards as everyone else?

Lesson FAQs

Q: Isn’t it okay to bend the rules for someone who delivers big results?
A: Maybe for a little while. But in the long run, double standards hurt team trust, morale, and your leadership.

Q: What if no one else can do what they do?
A: Then it’s even more important to cross-train and document their knowledge. No one should be irreplaceable.

Q: How can I hold someone accountable without losing them?
A: Be honest and fair. Set expectations clearly. People respect leaders who are consistent and direct.

Why This Lesson Gets Missed

High performers often get extra leeway because their work feels irreplaceable. But letting someone play by different rules—even subtly—breeds resentment. Team morale dips. Trust erodes.

It usually doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow shift. The more you rely on someone, the easier it is to look the other way. Until it’s too late.

What Great Leaders Do Differently

Strong leaders recognize talent but never excuse bad behavior. They:

• Celebrate contribution without letting it override standards
  • Set boundaries, even with stars
  • Step in early when patterns start to emerge

Conclusion

Talent is an advantage, not a pass. The real takeaway from Jenna’s story isn’t about lateness or attitude—it’s about what it means to lead, to be fair, and to protect the culture that keeps a team strong.

No matter how good someone is at their job, no one is above the rules.