How to Hire A-Players: Finding the Top People for ... - GIT home page

194 Conclusion
1. Invest your time with your A-players first. You have to make
sure that your A-players understand their roles and futures
with your company. Give them plenty of responsibility, and
bring them into your inner circle of leaders and confidants.
Schedule a regular meeting with these people (weekly,
biweekly, or monthly depending on the situation). Remember:
Time invested with your A-players yields a big payoff. Don’t
neglect these people because you have too many other problems
to deal with. They are the solution.
2. Provide your B-players with coaching and accountability.
Many times, your B-players are within shouting distance of being
A-players and just need some nudging to get there. Help
them focus on the right activities. Ask them to take their game
to the next level. Schedule regular meetings where you or a
manager coach them, work with them to set goals, and provide
accountability.
3. Turn some borderline performers into A-players by scaling
down their roles. Some B-players can become A-players when
you reduce their responsibilities to fit their aptitudes. Don’t
apologize for getting these people focused on a smaller set of
duties. Instead, challenge them to become ‘‘black belts’’ in the
areas where they are talented.
4. Replace C-players and below with people from your farm
team—particularly if you have tried your best to lead and
coach them to a better level of performance. These performance
problems will not go away. After reading this book, you
should have a farm team from which to call up a new player.
Thegoodnewsisthatnowyouhavetherightpeopletoput
into this role. The bad news is that you no longer have an
excuse. It’s time to make a change.
A-Player Principle: First invest time with your A-players,
and then spend time with everyone else. A-players contribute
the most to your success and set a fast pace for everyone
else on your team.