It seems topical to say my piece now that Xfactor is done and dusted for another year. There are lessons we can learn from this show. Chief of which is that this format doesn't necessarily favour the talented. Nor does it get the best out of them. What we have is a crash course in the  judges - all of whom stand to make a great deal of money from the contestants in the short term ruthlessly knocking them into shape so they can get a couple of singles of them before they disappear off into the void well before the circus starts again next year.  Mediums in the grand Victorian heyday of spiritualism could conjure entire bodies out of a mysterious substance called ectoplasm. By the time the contestants have told us for the nth time that this is the most important thing in their life and that it has already changed their lives for ever - both completely untrue I hope for their sakes - they are putty in the paws of the judges. Every year some stroppy hopeful throws her toys out the cot and decided to make all the decisions herself because she has noted that the judges decision making is not in her interest. Every time there's lots of headshaking - and he or she gets knocked back into shape the following week.

Now alas this kind of ectoplasmic activity is happening in your departments. With the best will in the world you will recognise and reward those whose way of thinking and working is closest to yours. And if you head up a department for years then gradually the polarisation will settle in as law. Those who don't fit will be weeded out or will choose to walk the plank but won't tell you as much in the exit interview.  I have been told with straight faces by many managers that no one has ever left their department. What they mean is that no one GOOD as they perceive it has left and there is peculiar selective memory about every one else.  Good leadership involves setting forth good policies and clear direction - there will always be those on the edge or outside of this and they are by now means unemployable. They may be potentially your best people. They're just not like you.

So what to do about it? For this you need a number 2 in the department - this person will be very experienced and you may have privately concluded that your number 2 is not head of department material. They can function as a lightning rod for dissidents - remember the adage keep your friends close and your enemies closer.If you find you are losing confidence in one of those in your department - consult with your number 2 - who will concur if they really are not up to scratch but who may well take the side of the individual you have a problem with. Somehow you have to have a way to allow dissidents to grow and flourish - its healthy for your department but difficult to do yourself. So get someone else to do it for you.  And give the juniors room to do it their way. It won't be as bad as you fear. If you time manage OK it will teach them a lesson if it doesn't work out and it will teach you a lesson if it does.  Just don't pull your trousers up too high. You really don't want to pick up any more of those dreadful Cowell habits..