I've worked with some "brilliant jerks" before. But they were never the type to cover on holidays, bring in the most revenue, etc. The brilliant jerks I knew tended to be selfish and negative. Perhaps he didn't share the company vision, but this guy didn't sound like a jerk (well, until he started suing the company after he left).
I will say that the true jerks have a way of worming their way into the company. For example they'll do a lot of work with the goal of making sure they're the only one who understands some certain process. Then they horde knowledge and never want anyone else in there or any documentation to exist. The team is afraid to fire them because nobody knows or has the time to learn that part of the system.
I was hoping / expecting the article to conclude with a recommendation on how to best channel the energy / talent of the "brilliant jerk". Not have this person fired.
Promote him, but limit him, under a specifically defined position in the company where the boundaries are set - e.g. Head of Product Development, Head of Business Ops, Line Management, Finance...
I'm a Stargate fan and when I read brilliant jerk, I thought Rodney McKay and Nicholas Rush. Yeah, they had there issues, but at the end of the day, you can count on them...
I will say that the true jerks have a way of worming their way into the company. For example they'll do a lot of work with the goal of making sure they're the only one who understands some certain process. Then they horde knowledge and never want anyone else in there or any documentation to exist. The team is afraid to fire them because nobody knows or has the time to learn that part of the system.