When you’ve worked on enough teams, you start to notice something. There are always a few people who just get it. They show up consistently, they take initiative, they make the team stronger, and oftentimes they do it without making a big show of it.
We call these people A-Players.
They don’t just do their job, they do more. They show up with intention, curiosity, and drive. They’re coachable, open-minded, and always looking for ways to add value beyond what’s expected.
I’ve spent a lot of time trying to define what an A-Player is. Here’s what I’ve come up with:
They do their job exceptionally well.
A-Players get results. They tend to be great at something or a few different things. They add tangible value to the business.
They care about the big picture.
A-Players don’t just complete tasks. They’re interested in why things are done a certain way. They ask smart questions, push for clarity, and help raise the standard. I call them drivers. They drive the standards up higher and higher.
And they’re never above doing the little things well. We preach this principle with the Parable of the Oranges.
They think like teammates, not just employees.
The difference is subtle, but it matters. Our number 1 non-negotiable at CRE OneSource is Commit to the Hive. We want team players. We want people who buy in to the mission.
A teammate looks for ways to support the people around them. They check in, offer help, and genuinely want others to succeed too. That mindset is contagious.
Below are a few A-Player examples at CRE OneSource
“Our company’s average show-up rate for demos is 73%. Mine’s at 90%. What should I be sharing with the team to get the rest of the team’s average up?”
— Jaxson Pierce
“I send this same email every day for 2 weeks, and it’s not converting. How can I make it better? I’ll test some changes and report back.”
— Sam Absalom
“I’m about to head out for the day — what are you working on? What can I help with before I leave?”
— Brock Baker
The Outcome:
The outcomes for A vs. B vs. C Players are drastically different. Here’s how we think about them at CRE OneSource:
- A-Players – We are actively recruiting. We want them to be part of our future.
- B-Players – We are actively coaching them up to see if they can become an A-Player.
- C-Players – We are actively replacing them.
I am on a mission to find more A-Players. I want to talk to them, spend time with them, work with them, and learn from them.
Charlie Coppola
