Heston Blumenthal is a British chef with 3 Michelin stars. He is completely self-taught and has an approach to food that both shocks and delights. He aims at the best taste and then questions every current approach to cooking until he finds the perfect way to cook a particular dish. He doesn't care what everyone else says you should do but uses science and facts to make fabulous new recipes.
People like Heston can be frustrating in teams. They don't just get on with it but question why all the time. They fuss over small details and have such impossibly high standards that no one else can ever please them. They do things differently and don't respect the opinion of others if the facts don't stack up.
They can drive you nuts but teams without a Heston are more likely to accept mediocrity and ultimately fail.
How do you spot a Heston in your team?
- They always ask why or why not.
- They obsess about little things. Even things that don't appear to have any importance.
- They have their own standards which are way higher than anyone else's.
- They can be both childishly excited when things work and easily depressed when things don't go well.
- They have their own way of doing things.
- They get into arguments with more experienced people and challenge them.
- They have as many terrible ideas as great ones.
- They are not corporate and lack political skills, often upsetting all the wrong people.
- They work harder than anyone else but not always on what you want them work on.
- They are unmotivated by status or money.
People like this are critical to the success of the team. They keep it on its toes and challenge it. They are also likely to annoy some of the team members. It is easy to see them as difficult and not team players. But that is misunderstanding their contribution. Their job is raise everyone's standards. Look for them when interviewing and favour them over others who are less challenging.
They can be difficult to manage though. What is the best way to manage a Heston Blumenthal?