Cardinal Point Leadership “sic” Series
Tolerating Ken: Why Your Culture Needs a Spark Plug
Chris Poyzer, MSW Executive Coach
Welcome to Cardinal Point Leadership’s “sic” Series. This is where I create some tongue-incheek exercises for my clients blending a bit of sarcasm, a healthy dose of reality, and the kind of insights that don’t show up in most leadership books. Keep in mind: this is sarcasm, but with a strong dash of reality.
Let’s start with the story for those not familiar.
In the movie Ford v Ferrari (based on real events), Ken Miles was a British race car driver and engineer. He was Shelby’s “go-to guy” brilliant behind the wheel, obsessed with getting the car right, and famously unwilling to play corporate politics. The Ford Motor Company wanted to beat Ferrari at Le Mans, the world’s toughest endurance race. But Ken Miles didn’t “look the part.” He was blunt, eccentric, and sometimes abrasive. He challenged management. He questioned assumptions. And truth be told he was almost too good, which made the execs nervous.
When he was denied a spot as driver at Le Mans because he didn’t fit the executive image, Ken didn’t storm out. He didn’t quit. He kept showing up for the team, building and tuning the car, making it better for everyone.
He was the kind of high performer most cultures say they want right up until they actually get one. Because Ken Miles brought tension, friction, and a refusal to “just go along.” He cared about truth and results, not making people comfortable.
Here’s where it gets “sic”:
Maybe you’re Ken. Maybe you want to be Ken. Hell, I want to be Ken but I’ll be honest, my default is always sliding back to “nice guy.” Maybe you’re Shelby, and you have a Ken on your team the one who frustrates you, challenges you, and makes you rethink everything.
Or maybe, just maybe, you’ve got a parking lot full of “yes” people and not a Ken in sight. Maybe you should hire a Ken even if you didn’t like him in the interview. Sometimes the best spark plugs are the ones that rattle your engine.
What’s the Leadership Lesson?
If your culture can’t tolerate a Ken Miles, your culture can’t tolerate winning.
Let’s stop calling high performers “difficult.” Let’s start calling fragile cultures what they really are: allergic to excellence.
Ken Miles was more than fast. He was right. Over and over again. And it made people uncomfortable.
He didn’t play corporate. He didn’t care about titles, org charts, or executive insecurities. He cared about getting it right every bolt, every corner, every tenth of a second.
That kind of obsession makes average leaders nervous. Because you can’t control someone who’s not in it for approval.
�� The Moment That Matters
When Ken was told he wouldn’t drive Le Mans he didn’t walk. He didn’t quit. He didn’t throw a tantrum (even though he probably earned the right).
Instead, he supported his team.
Because his obsession with getting it right outweighed his ego. That’s the part leadership books never talk about.
You see ego. He sees mission.
You see defiance. He sees standards.
There was a lot of tension. A lot of conflict. This wasn’t a clean, feel-good story.
Shelby and Miles butted heads. Miles and the execs nearly combusted. The garage was part workshop, part war zone.
But here’s the leadership truth no one likes to admit: With tension, you build bridges. With silence, you build distance.
Conflict isn’t the enemy. False harmony is.
Teams that never argue rarely innovate. They nod, they smile, and they slowly erode.
Miles wasn’t toxic. He was a spark plug. Yes, he created friction but that friction fired the engine.
⚙️ The Thesis
Conflict, when grounded in mission not ego is how real performance is forged.
But here’s the catch: Great teams don’t marinate in conflict. They move through it.
They’ve got what I call short memories. Not because they don’t care but because staying stuck in tension costs you the next turn.
If you’re still chewing on the last meeting… still wounded from the feedback… still salty about the politics you’re not leading. You’re drifting.
At 200 mph, focus is everything. If you’re driving with your eyes in the rearview, you don’t just lose the race. You hit the wall.
This is leadership: Future-fed. Moment to moment. Clarity under pressure.
That’s the discipline Ken Miles had. And the one most executives pretend to have until someone tells them “no.”
People love calling guys like Ken “egomaniacs.” What they really mean is: “He wouldn’t shrink to make us feel better.”
Ken didn’t need the spotlight. He needed the car to win. And he’d sacrifice his name to make that happen.
That’s not ego. That’s ownership.
So here it is:
If your culture can’t tolerate a Ken Miles if it can’t hold the tension, forgive the outbursts, channel the chaos, trust the results you’re not building a race team. You’re building a parking lot.
Ken Miles didn’t lose Le Mans. He just taught everyone else what it actually means to lead.
�� Listen to the Audio: Tolerating Ken: Why Your Culture Needs a Spark Plug (MP3)
If you feel like Ken, or you’re leading a Ken and need some coaching to avoid hitting the wall:
�� cardinal-point-leadership.b12sites.com
�� Book a Discovery Chat with Chris Chris Poyzer, MSW