Teenage football phenom Lamine Yamal made headlines for all the wrong reasons this weekend. At his 18th birthday party, he allegedly hired people with dwarfism as entertainment, prompting widespread public backlash and legal complaints from disability rights organizations. The accusation: dehumanizing behavior that treats the disabled as props for amusement is discriminatory and undermines basic dignity.
Let’s pivot from the pitch to the workplace.
Too often, high performers or rainmakers are given a pass. Their results insulate them. They cross lines, bullying coworkers, making inappropriate jokes, creating uncomfortable or even hostile environments. Leadership and HR look the other way because “they’re too valuable to lose.”
But here’s the hard truth. The more influence someone has, the more their actions ripple. When employers excuse bad behavior because someone’s a “superstar,” they don’t just risk a lawsuit. They send a message that values and dignity are negotiable. As a result, the whole culture suffers. The whole business suffers.
Employers, take note:
✅ Performance never justifies misconduct. High performers still need clear boundaries and consequences. Excusing one person’s behavior tells everyone else your values are for show.
✅ Leadership means accountability. If someone sets the pace, they also set the tone. If you wouldn’t tolerate the behavior from a new hire, don’t excuse it from the VP of Sales.
✅ Culture is built by what you tolerate. You can’t build a respectful, inclusive workplace if you’re making exceptions for those who “bring in the numbers.”
You don’t need to be managing a football club to learn from this story. You just need to be willing to ask: Are we holding our top performers to the same standards as everyone else? Or are we letting star status erode our values?
