February 2010 - Seven Characteristics of an "A" Player

Spirituality in the Workplace: A New Insight to Business

Definitions: Spirituality and Religion

Resources (links, books, articles, the lighter side)

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Seven Key Characteristics of an "A" Player

by Beroz Ferrell

Being an ‘A’ Player in a ‘B’ Player World

The field is crowded, that is, in the world of average players. So crowded, that it is difficult to nudge your way to the front of the line. With the decline of many American corporations – both seasoned and emerging and the loss of jobs for millions, one can only wonder who is next.

As a consultant who works in many companies and across several industries, I have the enviable position of being an "observer." It is this position and the ability to see patterns and trends across various workplaces that has allowed me to observe and summarize the 7 key characteristics of being an ‘A’ Player.

An ‘A’ Player is an employee who clearly stands out above the rest. It is someone whom others point to as a role model in the workplace. It is someone who is sought after for input and problem solving. It is someone looked to as a voice of reason when all around is going awry. Of course, being an ‘A’ Player does not make you "recession proof," but it certainly puts you in the position to "turn off the light" when all have left the building and use your attributes to pick yourself up, dust off and bounce back some place else.

So what makes for an ‘A’ Player?

The 7 characteristics are attributes and skills that can be cultivated.

They are often overlooked and undervalued in good times and become indispensable in lean times. However, when you have these characteristics, they enable you to outperform, outlast and be outstanding in your space.

The 7 Characteristics of ‘A’ Players

Positive outlook & disposition – while the "can do" attitude has become a cliché, ‘A’ Players have a consistently positive leaning. In the midst of gloom and doom, they are able to instill hope while acknowledging reality. They have a certain resilience that is at the core of who they are.

Versatility – ‘A’ Players cultivate an ability to take on roles and responsibilities beyond what they were hired to do. They are comfortable stepping outside traditional lines and comfort zones, and volunteer for needs beyond job descriptions.

Adaptability – there is nothing more certain in uncertain times than the ability to change – change course, change oneself, change what is. ‘A’ Players demonstrate a higher than usual ability to move, morph and maneuver as required.

Reliability – if this were a commodity and could be sold, it would enable you to dominate the marketplace. Reliability these days is rare and ‘A’ Players are consistently reliable – not just when there is something to be gained. They keep their word, they follow through and are counted on when others have over promised and under delivered.

Wholistic – while this word has traditionally been applied to those in the field of natural therapies, an ‘A’ Player is one who has the ability to look at the "whole" and for the good of the "whole" when making decisions or putting forth solutions.

Interdependent – we live in connected systems and the sooner we recognize that, the better off we will be. ‘A’ Players have learned how to play well with others within the system. They understand the concept of the "third thought" – that our collective wisdom produces the best results and are willing to work towards synergized solutions.

Relevant – ‘A’ Players are lifelong learners. They invest in themselves when companies have failed to invest in them. They continue to increase their knowledge and skills and use these to bring forth value-added solutions to their workplaces. They have developed a strong voice and a "thinking heart" and have mastered the use of both.

What do ‘B’ Players look like?

Given the characteristics of ‘A’ Players, one might be left wondering what ‘B’ Players look like.

If normal distribution curves — also known as the Bell Curve — hold true, those ‘B’ Players towards the upper end of the Bell Curve are ‘A’ Players in the making. They possess many of the ‘A’ Player characteristics, but need to work on consistency. Those ‘B’ Players who reside on the lower end of the Bell Curve are dangerously close to becoming ‘C’ Players or irrelevant over time unless faced with a large dose of reality.

What do ‘C’ Players look like?

So what do ''C' players look like? They are easy to spot. Some of their behaviors are as follows:

Defensive when asked to explain.
Blame others for shortcomings.
Protective of their own turf; holding things close to the chest.
Make excuses for not achieving results and only do what is necessary.
Consistently find reasons for why something will not work.
Have stagnated in their personal and professional growth.
Ironically, they believe they know it best and are adding value.

No one is perfect. The very fact that we are humans is evidence that we are "flawed." In my experience as an individual contributor, team member and now, consultant, what I have come to know for sure is that being an ‘A’ Player is absolutely possible. In fact, it is necessary to your survival. When Darwin came up with his theory of evolution and "survival of the fittest," he wasn’t exactly referring to the 7 characteristics of ‘A’ Players. When put in the context of the 21^st century and a world that is faced with the possibility of wipeout, we look to those ‘A’ Players to carry us forward. A bit dramatic, perhaps … but relevant, nonetheless.

Be an ‘A’ Player!

Internet Resources

Managing B-players http://changingminds.org/disciplines/hr/performance_management/b-players.htm
Leadership Tips - What's a B Player? http://ezinearticles.com/?Leadership-Tips---Whats-a-B-Player?&id=1384754
Let's Hear it for B Players http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jul2008/ca20080722_058720.htm
Noise Goes Up But Quality Remains The Same http://www.hire-better.com/tag/b-player/
Taking Your “B” Player Reps to “A” Player Performance Levels PDF file
Learning From Goldman Sachs's "Catalysts" http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/panelists/2009/07/goldman-sachs-leadership-lessons.html
B Player on the A-Team http://www.thecodefactory.ca/blog/2009/05/12/b-player-on-the-a-team/
Are you a “B” player? http://careertrainingdevelopment.com/?p=15
Hire in this economy??? Yes! http://www.ardentsearchco.com/newsletter/ardent_email_newsletter_5_14_09.htm
To the top with benevolent leadership - Thought Leader http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4070/is_193/ai_110811910/
Benevolent Leadership http://www.oaktraining.com/Training-News/benevolent-leadership.html

Books - Disclosure: We get a small commission for purchases made via links to Amazon.

Smart and Gets Things Done. Joel Spolsky. Apress, 2007. ISBN-10: 1590598385 ISBN-13: 978-1590598382
Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations. Ken Blanchard. FT Press, 2006. ISBN-10: 0132347725 ISBN-13: 978-0132347723
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High. Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler. (McGraw-Hill 2002). ISBN-10: 0071401946 ISBN-13: 978-0071401944
Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations and Bad Behavior. Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler. (McGraw-Hill 2004). ISBN-10: 0071446524 and ISBN-13: 978-0071446525
Developing Exemplary Performance One Person at a Time. Michael Sabbag. Davies-Black Publishing, 2009. ISBN-10: 0891062491 ISBN-13: 978-0891062493
Income Without a Job: Living Well Without a Paycheck. Michael Jay Anthony, Barbara J. Taylor. Lulu.com, 2008 ISBN-13: 978-0-557-00377-8. Website: www.income-without-a-job.com. Tap into your own creativity and use your full potential. Learn how to see opportunities that others miss.

Articles

The Lighter Side

Do not wait for leaders. Do it alone, person to person. ... Mother Teresa

Leaders must be tough enough to fight, tender enough to cry, human enough to make mistakes, humble enough to admit them, strong enough to absorb the pain, and resilient enough to bounce back and keep on moving. ... Jesse Jackson

Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. ... Dale Carnegie

The secret of a leader lies in the tests they faced over the whole course of their life and the habit of action they develop in meeting those tests. ... Gail Sheehy

We may stumble, but always there is that eternal voice, forever whispering within our ear, that thing which causes the eternal quest, that thing which forever sings and sings. ... Ernest Holmes

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