Have you ever been stuck behind one of those older RVs on your way to the beach? The four-cylinder engine is straining to make it up the hill and traffic is backed up behind it for miles. How did you feel?
Now take a look at how your company is performing in this tough economy. Are you trying to make it up the hill using "C" players? Are you hoping for miracles from people who won't perform? This is far more serious than being inconvenienced by an underpowered RV.
The "B" and "C" people who skated by during the boom times but are not producing today will cost you market share in the best-case scenario. Worst-case scenario, they will cost you your company.
It doesn't have to be that way. Now is the time to get rid of your non-"A" performers or those without the potential to be "As". This economy has created a huge pool of top talent at all income levels. They are actively looking for the right company…whether or not they are currently employed.
Begin by evaluating your people.
The easiest way to do this is to rate them yourself, but this is haphazard at best. You already know who is performing and who is not. What is more difficult to determine is potential. Who has the potential to perform at much greater levels and how do you know? It is much more effective to use the services of someone who specializes in organizational development.
Once you know what you have, you can begin to build a team of "A" players.
"Topgrading is not just about hiring but includes firing people who are not crucial," said Brad Smart, founder of Topgrading. "It is immoral not to remove ‘B' and ‘C' players who imperil the jobs of everyone else. It is immoral treatment of ‘B' and ‘C' players to leave them in the dark regarding their weaknesses and leave them in a job in which they fail."
A free snapshot of how your sales force stacks up is available at www.objectivemanagement.com/free-salesforce.grader.asp?DistNum=55
Oliver Connolly is CEO of Washougal-based C Level Strategic. He can be contacted at oliver@clevelstrategic.com
