Redefining the “A Player” (Part 2)

Is Recruiting “A Players” Really Worth It?

Several months ago, I started doing some casual research on what makes an “A Player in 2021”.  I tapped into a group of peers to gather my information. See their reflections in my previous post HERE. While it was super helpful to have this list of reflections, I felt it important to take it one step further by searching for common themes backed up by some additional research.  Spoiler alert – my answer is YES – building a team of A Players matters a lot!

 Top 3 Traits of an “A Player”

1. SUSTAINABILITY 

“A Players” are focused, work really hard, lean into challenges, AND take responsibility for living a life that includes rhythms of rest and replenishment.  No matter how good of a leader you are, you can’t force someone to live an intentionally sustainable life. Lack of sustainability quickly leads to burnout. 

Why This Matters: In the past I’ve interviewed staff members who stated how many grueling hours they worked each week. They reported that they worked 75 hours last week or they haven’t had a day off in weeks. My first response to this kind of report of over work is, WHY? I have worked with a variety of organizations in my career and none of these organizations wanted their staff working around the clock. Working extreme hours often indicates that a person is not in the right role or does not have the capacity to focus and execute in a timely manner.   

Interview Red Flags: Candidates who tell stories about working around the clock and not minding it a bit. They make themselves a hero of the story because they work so hard without boundaries. 

2. TRUST

“A Players” make everyone around them better. They are relationally savvy and intuitively look for how to impact the greater good of the team. “A Players” don’t jump to conclusions – and prejudge. They dig deeper and explore the possibilities. Their feedback is received by peers because trust is established. Coworkers know these people have their backs and assume the best.

Why This Matters: Hiring one person who lacks the ability to coalesce trust puts the whole team at risk. Lack of trust can spread through an organization with Covid-like force. Disillusionment, disfunction, and conflict can quickly emerge from one bad hire. Good leaders hire good trustworthy staff. It’s expected. Making quick bad hires erodes the confidence of the whole team.  

Interview Red Flags: Candidates who use many derogatory descriptions like “my boss was clueless” or “my teammates were all slackers” are signals. This lack of respect generally translates into lack of trust with others.  

3. RESULTS

“A Players” get the job done. At the end of the day these people consistently deliver above average results. They are driven to learn and lead better each and every day. They solicit great ideas from team members and form roadmaps that involve all stakeholders. By leveraging relationships, their impact goes further.

Why This Matters:  As organizational leaders we steward valuable resources. So yes, results matter a lot. Results at all costs is a trap that some people fall into. These people are severely competitive and constantly compare themselves to others creating a toxic culture that makes everyone want to jump ship. 

Interview Red Flags: Too many stories of competition or going after results at all costs. Overusing “I” and underusing “we” when describing accomplishments is a clear warning. 

Sustainability + Trust + Results = A Player

When I look back on my best staff and teammates, they exhibited all three of these traits, sustainability, trust, and results. Subtract any one of these traits and the equation just doesn’t work. 

• A trustworthy person who gets great results but lacks sustainability – will fizzle out.  

• A person who achieves sustainability and results but lacks building trust among their peers will find their success short lived because they don’t have the support of their team members. 

• As for lack of results – that’s actually the easy one. Without results – it’s a no go.

As you interview new people to join your team. Listen closely. Choose wisely. 

BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR: WHAT ARE THE TRAITS OF AN “A BOSS”?