How to Identify and Lead A, B, and C Players for Business Success

Aug 13, 2024

Discover the fascinating dynamics of team members categorized as A, B, and C players. Learn how A players are high-achievers who thrive in autonomous roles, while B players can be nurtured into top performers. Get insights on creating robust systems that support all team members, including the vital role of donkeys in ensuring reliability. Uncover effective strategies for performance reviews and the importance of a feedback culture. Plus, hear a personal story that highlights the tough decisions leaders face when expectations aren't met.

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Understanding A, B, and C Players: Building a Successful Team

00:00 • 19min

Framework for Effective Team Management and Performance

19:17 • 5min

Your team is mostly made up of two kinds of people: donkeys and unicorns.

Lemme explain: Unicorns are high-achievers who can create and manage systems independently, while donkeys are reliable executors of the tasks within the systems (both are important to your organization).

Most teams consist primarily of donkeys, and you know what? That's perfectly okay. The key is to build airtight systems and processes that allow everyone to excel.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to tell the difference between A, B, and C players on your team, how to help B players advance in your organization, and my framework for giving performance reviews,

Click play to hear all of this and…

(00:00:00) How to understand A, B, and C players in your team.

(00:01:57) How to categorize the different types of people on your team.

(00:02:57) What it means to have a team of “unicorns” and “donkeys”.

(00:05:55) Three key traits to recognize A players within a team.

(00:07:48) Steve Jobs' “A Player Philosophy”.

(00:08:42) How I define A players and prevent them from leaving the organization.

(00:10:39) The key differences between A players and B players.

(00:11:43) What you need to know about C players.

(00:13:38) A personal story of letting a team member go when they weren’t meeting expectations.

(00:17:27) Four steps for conducting effective performance reviews.

(00:22:13) Why you must create a culture where feedback is accepted and sought out.

For full show notes, visit https://jasminestar.com/podcast/episode461

Listen to Related Episodes:

Resources:

Let’s Hear It for B Players, Harvard business review, Thomas J. DeLong

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