Episode 22
The 100% A Player Advantage: How High-Growth Companies Eliminate Mediocrity
with Rick Crossland
Resources Mentioned
Key Takeaways
- The "Are You Thrilled?" Test: Why the simplest calibration of an A Player comes down to your gut feeling about their performance relative to the compensation paid.
- The Danger of Tolerating B Players: Why B-level performance quietly puts your company at risk, slows down execution, and drives away top talent.
- Coaching Managers vs. Coachable Employees: When an employee underperforms, where does the blame lie? Rick outlines why managers must own the playbook and how to identify coachability (hunger, humility, willingness to correct) before making a hire.
- The Power of Panel Interviews: Why traditional one-on-one executive chats allow candidates to game core values, and how panel scorecards create instant team alignment.
- "Observe and Correct": Real-time leadership lessons on catching errors immediately and building an authentic coaching culture rather than relying on outdated annual reviews.