Managers of successful companies know their ABC’s

Becky Vaughn-Furlow
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Competitive, passionate about their mission, big picture thinkers. These are “A” level employees.

And a business made up of “A” players will go farther and be more successful.

No company has all “A” level employees. Every business or organization has “A,” “B” and “C” players. but the “A” level employees contribute the most to the bottom line. They understand that successful companies grow and change over time and they have a unique role to play.

“B” employees are also necessary for the operation of a business. They are average on the comparison scale and make up a large number of a company’s workforce. There is nothing wrong inherently with “B” employees. They show up and do their work competently and consistently. They generally like their job, and their work is the means by which they get the money to pay their mortgage and other bills. But they may do only what is necessary to get by.

“C” employees make up the lower performing group and often have negative attitudes, make a lot of errors in their work and are not loyal to their employer. They have a negative impact on other employees, which can be difficult for management to control.

“A” level talent in management positions seek out and hire other A employees, whereas often a “B” level manager hires only “B” and “C” levels. They know that having more A level workers will lead to a winning team. They want to ensure that goals are met and success is achieved.

“B” level manager are less likely to hire “A” level employees and are also more likely to hold on to poor performers too long, fearing their hiring mistakes will put a black mark on their record. They may be threatened by people who possess more skills and are high level performers.

There are some common traits of “A” level employees.

  • They feel connected to the company and are highly engaged.
  • They look forward to coming to work and for the most part enjoy their job.
  • They know there will be losses and failures and how to manage both.
  • They are “big picture” thinkers, yet also have attention to detail.
  • They are engaged in succession planning.
  • They are committed and will stick it out through thick and thin.
  • They are passionate in the mission and seek fulfillment.
  • They attract other people who will follow their leadership.
  • They support other’s success and are encouragers.
  • They are competitive.
  • They are flexible and willing to do whatever it takes in their job.
  • They embrace change and don’t fight it.
  • They are not complacent.

All companies have employees in the three levels. Human Resources spends more time with “C” level employees, those who are unhappy in their jobs, have more issues and cause more problems. Improvement plans and training can be put in place to develop staff members who want to improve their performance and who are willing to make necessary changes.

The moral of this story for the managers and leaders in the company is that hiring,maintaining and rewarding “A” level employees and managers will lead to success. The message to employees who are “B” or “C” level is to decide if they want to improve, stop only doing the minimum it takes to keep their job, make a change, move up the ladder and make a difference in their future.

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Contact Becky Vaughn-Furlow at

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