How to Become an “A” Player

In every company there are employees who are more valuable to the success of the business than others. I’m sure most of you have heard the 80/20 rule that 20% of the people will produce 80% of the output. I believe this to be true based on the countless conversations I have had with employers and the thousands of interviews I have conducted with candidates. For the purposes of this discussion we will be looking at the traits of an even smaller number of employees – The “A” Players or those in the top 10%. These are the employees who are the most important to the team. They are compensated the highest for their position, and they are given the largest amount of responsibilities.

The book “Topgrading” by Bradford Smart, PhD. divides employees into 3 different groups – A, B, and C players. “A” players are the Top 10 percentile, “B” players are the 65th-89th percentile, and “C” players are below the 65th percentile. Dr. Smart conducted thousands of hours of research into hiring and developed these categories of people in each profession. Most notably, his firm was hired to shape the hiring strategy for GE by then-CEO Jack Welch. At Marshall Career Service we evaluate candidates based on the traits of each of these groups to determine the level of individual we are dealing with. Below are the traits of each group as noted by Dr. Smart:

• “A” Players: “Facilitates the creation and communication of a compelling and strategically sound vision; High IQ, a “quick study” able too rapidly perform complex analysis; Initiates needed change; highly adaptive and able to “sell” the organization on change; Passionate, extremely high-energy level, fast paced, 55+ hour work week; Impressive ability to find ways over, under, around, and through barriers, invents new paradigms. Paradigm is defined as a pattern, example or model. New themes, standards, examples; Extremely sensitive and adaptive to both stated and unstated customer needs; Hires “A” players and employees with “A” potential, has the “edge” to make the tough calls and remove chronic “C” players; Successfully counsels, mentors and teaches each team member to turbo-boost performance and personal career growth; Ironclad integrity; Excellent oral and written skills.”

• “B” Players: “Vision lacks credibility, is somewhat unrealistic or strategically flawed; Smart, but not as insightful as an “A” player; Favors modes, incremental change, so there is lukewarm followership; Motivated, energetic at times, 50-54 hour work weeks; Open-minded and will occasionally find a new solution; Knows that “Customer is King” but does not act on it as often as “A” player; Hires mostly “B” and an occasional costly “C” player, accepts less than top performance; Performs annual performance reviews and some additional feedback, is “spotty,” inconsistent in coaching; May want teamwork but does not make it happen; Meets key constituency expectations; Generally honest; Average oral and written skills.”

• “C” Players: “Embraces tradition over forward thinking; Has difficulty coping with new, complex situations; Prefers the status quo, lacks credibility so people are hesitant to follow; Dedicated, inconsistent pace, 40-49 hour work week; Requires specific direction; Too inwardly focused, misjudge the inelasticity of demand of the firm’s products and services; Hires mostly “C” players, crises occur due to low talent level, tolerates mediocrity; Inaccessible, hypercritical, stingy with praise and late/shallow with feedback, avoids career discussions; Drains energy from others, actions prevent synergy; Sporadically meets expectations; Bends the rules; Mediocre skills.”

When looking at the traits of these groups, you will notice that none of them will be found on a resume. They are purely attitude driven. None of these say anything about the most years of experience, a certain type of College Degree, etc. The way an individual goes about his or her business will place them into one of these categories. In every facet of business we have A, B and C players. There are “A” player file clerks, “C” player Vice Presidents, and so on. It is an absolute fact that we as employees can choose to make ourselves better employees or worse employees. Notice I used the word “choose.” If I “choose” to complain, push away change, do the bare minimum to keep my job – I’ve decided to be a “C” player. I could just as easily make a choice to do the opposite. Think about your work environment. Who are the people that embody these characteristics? What group do you belong to? Be honest with yourself.

For those of you who have an interest in being an “A” player in the Top 10% of employees here are some action items that will get you on your way:

• Set personal goals and commit to accomplishing them. Make sure they are aligned with the organization’s goals. Create a plan for hitting these goals and deadlines. Communicate the goals to your boss, peers and subordinates. This immediately creates personal accountability and sets you apart from the rest of the crowd. Goals always bring opportunities and obstacles. Embrace the obstacles and keep moving.

• Focus on task completion rather than clock punching. The “A” player is described as working 55+ hours per week, but to them it’s not about hours – it’s about what they achieved that day. For the “A” player working harder is working smarter. Since they are counted on to produce a much larger output of work than 90% of the others in the organization it is logical that this wouldn’t be done in a 40-hr work week.

• See compensation being equal to the level of service provided. People pay for quality. I don’t believe that people really are “over-paid” or “under-paid.” We all set a value for ourselves based on the quality of job we do. Customers are internal and external. Work to provide the highest level of service to all of them.

• Stay “neutral” emotionally. “A” players don’t get their feelings hurt when people are direct with them. They also don’t complain or make excuses about why something can’t get done. There is a job to be done, a customer expecting a product, and a company needing to make a profit. It’s that simple.

• Surround yourself with good people. This is true whether you are hiring someone or looking for whom to go to lunch with. We all seek out like minded people. If you associate yourself with the “water-cooler” crowd, that makes you a part of the crowd. People who can’t get the job done don’t want to hang around with people that can, and the opposite is also true. Seek out the people who are the best that the organization has to offer.

These are just a few things to improve your standing within your organization. In the end, committing to be an “A” player is a major commitment. For many, it’s a complete 180 from what they’re doing today. Compensation, promotions, and recognition are some of the rewards that await. However, a much increased level of responsibility awaits as well. It’s your choice.

By Tony Morris, CPC