The Rodman Paradox: When Your Most Valuable Employee Isn't Your Star

Greatness can impress; irreplaceability wins.   Former NBA player Dennis Rodman wasn’t a star like Michael Jordan, but wherever he went, his defense and rebound skills led his teams to victory. Author Jack McCullough calls this The Rodman Paradox, a counterintuitive phenomenon in which a team’s most valuable member isn’t necessarily its biggest star, but one whose specialized skills are the most difficult to replace. Rodmans are in every type of organization. They are the engineer with a  unique understanding of the company’s product architecture, the financial analyst whose data analysis improves strategic decision-making, or the special needs teacher who is the only one who can connect with her students. These Rodmans are irreplaceable and integral to success. But how do you know who your Rodmans are before it’s too late? Before they are gone and you are left picking up the pieces? The Rodman Paradox will teach you how to: • identify Rodmans in your organization, • reward, protect, and empower these Rodmans, and • make Rodmans central, not peripheral, to your long-term talent strategy. The Rodman Paradox isn’t just a theory, it’s a leadership framework necessary for lasting success. The Rodmans of our teams are crucial, and undervaluing them could be a critical mistake. After all, stars sell tickets, Stars and specialists win championships.