How to Tame “Thorny” Employees Without Undermining Your Ops Team

Introduction

Most team leaders encounter “thorny” members, known in management as “刺头”. This discussion, based on real cases, analyzes how to remove such employees while minimizing risks to the company and the team.

What is a “thorny” employee?

They appear in every company and are typically characterized by having strong opinions, decent ability, limited technical vision, and slightly lacking teamwork. They often possess personal talent but are overly subjective or resistant to management.

“A thorny person isn’t someone without ability; they often just want a suitable work environment, fair treatment, and opportunities.”

According to industry observations, thorny employees can be roughly divided into four types:

Rebellious and unmanageable

Arrogant because of talent

Overconfident due to backstage resources

Passive, preparing to jump ship

Why do “thorny” employees appear?

Several reasons contribute to their emergence: some seek extra attention, some feel their leadership abilities are insufficient, and others simply do not realize the disruption they cause.

How to deal with them?

Solutions depend on the underlying cause.

1) When ability matches expectations: Provide praise, encouragement, and support; avoid withholding recognition.

2) When leadership ability is lacking: Both the employee and the manager need adjustments; the manager should acknowledge their own strengths and demonstrate competence.

3) When the employee is unaware they are “thorny”: Increase regular communication and attempt transformation; if unsuccessful, consider replacement.

Case 1: High‑skill but difficult personality

A technical expert excels at work but clashes with teammates, causing collaboration issues. What should be done?

Suggestion

Rather than dismissing immediately, find a role that fits the person’s strengths; placing someone in an unsuitable position creates unnecessary friction.

Four team‑member categories: capable‑no‑temper; capable‑with‑temper; incapable‑with‑temper; incapable‑no‑temper. The last should be removed, while the others can be utilized appropriately.

Case 2: Long‑tenured “thorny” employee

An experienced ops staff member shows unstable work habits, fails to respond promptly during a critical system outage, and later forms a sub‑group opposing leadership, creating a dilemma for managers.

Suggestion

First, remove such an employee promptly.

Short pain is better than long pain—minor flaws are tolerable, but actions that erode team morale are not.

Practical steps:

Secure and gradually reclaim the employee’s resource permissions, then proceed with dismissal at an appropriate moment.

Reassign new project tasks to shift responsibilities, encouraging the employee to voluntarily hand over work.

Implement a clear incident‑handling reward and penalty system tied to performance, applying it consistently after incidents.