The success of large companies and small start-ups alike is no longer built solely on individual performance. The work environment is changing and today businesses are focused on building effective teams where members work together, communicate effectively with each other and feel involved in something important and big. Companies that know how to drive employee performance are always on the lookout for A-Players - employees who set the pace, take the initiative and are always hungry for something new.
Creating the foundation of successful teams, A-Players are characterised by high performance, responsibility and a desire for growth thus setting a culture of performance and motivating everyone around them. However, finding true A-Players is always a challenge. After reading this article, you will learn ‘what does it mean to be A-Player?’, why such leaders are important for companies and how to drive employee performance by attracting A-Players.
While some employees simply perform their duties, others have special skills including proactivity to move the business forward. And that's true for almost any company today. Known as A-Players, these individuals are the best of the best - professionals capable of not just getting the job done, but of improving team performance, creating value and setting higher standards of performance overall.
According to a study by Harvard Business Review, high-performers can be 4 times more productive than their average counterparts. Given this, it is not surprising that many employers are looking for answers to the questions ‘what does being A-Player mean?’ and especially ‘how to recognise A-Player?’. So, below are some important characteristics and qualifications that are specific to A-Players.
So, high performing teams characteristics list includes willingness to learn, diversity, clean communication, trust and many other items. Setting high standards and fostering a culture of high performance, A-Players play a vital role in building such teams.
The Positive Impact of A-Players on Team Success and Performance
If there is at least one employee in the team who fulfils the A-Player criteria, his or her influence quickly spreads to colleagues. This works like a domain effect where striving for results, finding effective solutions in non-obvious places, and seeking excellence motivate other employees. Through the contagiousness of their energy and enthusiasm, A Players inspire colleagues to work to the best of their abilities.
In today's reality, it is almost impossible to build a high-performance team without A Players, and there are several reasons for this:
· By taking the initiative, they help less experienced colleagues develop faster and improve their skills thereby creating an environment where everyone strives for the best.
· Reducing the management burden. Without the need for constant supervision, high-performers can make decisions on their own, letting managers focus on strategic tasks.
· By being highly productive and results-oriented, A-Players help improve key performance indicators of teams.
In addition, A-Players help to attract and retain top talent because it is truly exciting and prestigious to work with them. This is exactly the case when A-Players hire A-Players and minimise staff turnover.
Simply recruiting talent is not enough to develop teams that deliver truly outstanding results. Employers must build a clear plan that takes into account leadership, work culture and a focus on continuous development. Below, you will find three strategies to help you build effective teams.
Goal setting is much more than just defining KPIs and assigning tasks. True leaders know how to create a shared vision that inspires employees:
1. Start by defining the team's mission so each member understands why they do their job.
2. Then set ambitious but truly achievable goals. This will allow you to identify A-Players as they truly love new challenges.
3. Work to ensure open communication between members to reduce miscommunication and stress.
4. Support team values. For example, if you value proactivity, try to reflect that in literally every aspect of the working process.
Making sure your team is moving in the same direction will ensure that they are more cohesive and motivated.
Effective team working is impossible without trust and collaboration, even if you have one or more A-Players in your team. Therefore, your task as a leader is to create an environment of open communication with team meetings where everyone can express their successes and failures. Keep in mind that you must maintain an atmosphere where people can express ideas and propose solutions without fear of criticism.
Also, capitalise on the strengths of each team member. Giving everyone the opportunity to express themselves is what drives you to achieve success. Also encourage mutual support, as teams with a high level of trust produce the best results.
Since the salary requirements of A-Players can be unaffordable for many employers (and this is justified by the performance of such employees), it is better to focus on creating the conditions for cultivating high-performers among your team members:
· Create opportunities for professional development by providing courses, mentoring, in-house training and other activities to help develop key skills.
· Encourage initiative. That is, allow your subordinates to prove themselves and take on new challenges.
· Develop a culture of high responsibility in the workplace, not forgetting that mistakes are an integral part of the work process. The only person who doesn't make mistakes is the one who doesn't do anything.
In addition, try to help employees understand where they need to develop through meaningful feedback.
While hiring - and especially growing - A-Players is difficult, it's only half the battle. Because these workers are highly ambitious, they won't stay long where they are restricted, undervalued or lacking in development opportunities.
Building High Performing Teams Where A-Players Engaged and Motivated
Given the characteristics of A-players, it is very obvious that salary is rarely the most important factor for them. Since they seek challenges, want to see the value of their work and are always moving forward, you need to use the following strategies to retain high-performers:
· Give them challenging and out-of-the-box tasks. Provide them with a variety of projects and open new avenues, which will positively impact your overall business growth.
· Take a personalised approach to creating their career paths as A Players don't want to be ‘just one of many’.
· Allow these team members to make decisions on their own so they don't feel like they are just doers.
· Try to surround them with similarly strong professionals thereby supporting a culture of high performance in the workplace.
Last but not least, recognise their achievements (and it's not always about monetary rewards). For instance, many A-Players will appreciate the opportunity to speak at a conference on behalf of the company or even just a word of thanks in public.
The working environment is constantly changing. For example, according to Statista, about 30% of workers worldwide were employed remotely in 2023. Although some companies are already making efforts to bring at least some of their employees back to the office, the trend for telecommuting continues unabated. Also, innovation and growing competition are additional reasons why you need to hire or grow A-players for your teams.
You can bring together strong employees, but that doesn't guarantee that you will maximise the effectiveness of their teamwork. In simple words, synergy is when a team produces results better than the total results of its members working without collaboration. That is, the potential of high performers can be virtually nullified if they don't interact with each other effectively.
In addition to building a culture of trust and celebrating team achievements, you'll need two tips to help you manage A-players more intelligently. Firstly, try to balance roles as strong individuals don't always work well together. That is, ensure everyone knows their area of responsibility and does not interfere with others. Secondly, encourage sharing knowledge and experience to ensure that expertise scales across the team.
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