• CREATING A TEAM OF A-PLAYERS
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SECTION 1
THE BIG PICTURE
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VISION
• Vision for the
team you need
vs. the team you
have.
3
VISION
• One A-player
can make an
enormous
difference in your
business.
4
VISION
• One A-Player
can make a huge
difference in your
life.
5
THE BEST LEADERS ARE THE BEST
RECRUITERS
• Case study:
architectural firm
6
WHY MANAGERS TOLERATE POOR
PERFORMERS
• 98.6 is not equal
to qualified.
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SECTION 2
HIRING A-PLAYERS
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HIRING A-PLAYERS
• Create an APlayer Mindset.
• “We don’t fill
positions. We
look for people
who will make
our team better.”
Barney Kister
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HIRING A-PLAYERS
• Define your A-Player
Profile
10
HIRING A-PLAYERS
• Keep your couch
full.
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HIRING A-PLAYERS
• Create your Farm Team.
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EXERCISE
• Gap Analysis and Talent Choke Point
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Case Studies: Talent Choke Points
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EXERCISE
• Creating an A-Player Profile
–What results do A-players create
that B-players don’t?
–How do you measure these results?
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SECTION 3
HOW DO I FIND MORE APLAYERS?
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HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• “Recruiting is just marketing and
sales in different garb.” How to Hire
A-Players
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HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
1. Know your A-Player Profile.
2. Find a large pool of people with the
basics of this profile
3. Interview a lot of them.
4. “Sift the wheat from the chaff.”
5. Hire the best people you find.
18
HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Create, update,
and act upon a
target list.
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HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• The Hunter vs.
The Hunted:
Continuing
Education, Trade
Shows.
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HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Stay until the quesadillas are scorching.
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HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Become
Recruiter in
Chief.
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HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Aggressive
customer service
people.
23
HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Single-mother
waitresses.
24
HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Gaining the oncampus
recruiting
advantage.
25
HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Filling the talent
funnel with
internships.
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HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Incubate talent.
27
HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Referral fees to
your recruiting
network.
28
HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Don’t overlook
internal hires.
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HOW DO I FIND MORE A-PLAYERS?
• Hire the right
outside
recruiters.
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SECTION 4
Interviewing and the Economic
Power of Good Looks
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INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• Interviewing is an artificial process by
which we attempt to figure out what it
will be like to work every day with
someone.
32
INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• The two most
important
questions to ask
in an interview.
33
INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• Live-Fire
Interview
Exercises
34
INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• Two days of
office visits.
35
INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• The paid
interview.
36
INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• 90-day fast start
plan.
37
INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• Skills tests: can
you see in three
dimensions?
38
INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• “I’m not hearing
it.”
Chet Holmes
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INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• “I will be the guy
wearing shorts
and riding a
motorcycle.”
Jeff Phillips
• “Intentional, but
not contrived.”
Bob Perkins
40
INTERVIEWING AND THE ECONOMIC
POWER OF GOOD LOOKS
• The danger of
first impressions.
• Using
assessment
instruments to
identify A-players
and weed out
pretenders.
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SECTION 5
LEADING AND KEEPING APLAYERS
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LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
• Start with
yourself.
43
LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
• Invest time in
your lead dogs.
• Don’t spend too
much time on
your “problem
children.”
44
LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
• Passing the
Thanksgiving test.
45
LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
• Don’t surround a
Great Dane with
Chihuahuas.
46
LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
• A-Players are
attracted by high
standards.
47
LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
• “What’s behind
door number 3?”
48
LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
• Turning Bplayers into Aplayers
49
LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
• Teaching
managers to be
leaders and
coaches.
50
LEADING AND KEEPING A-PLAYERS
“My managers are not allowed to
provide answers (within reason), they
can only ask questions.”
• Colin Drummond, VP-Sales,
Progressive Business Publications
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CONCLUSION
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