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Send the Jerks (C Players) Packing

Guest post by: David Carter

Article Overview: Frequently, companies are created out of the ideas of a partnership or a group. So, it's quite natural to expect that entrepreneurs will need to work well with partners, teams, and employees. What amazes me though is how many entrepreneurs are willing to work with “C” Players! If you have been hanging on to your marginal performers, now is the time to free them. The question to ask yourself is this: “Would I enthusiastically hire this person today?” If you cannot answer “yes,” you probably don't have an “A” player. Now is the time to create your “A” team.

Send the Jerks (C Players) Packing

Frequently, companies are created out of the ideas of a partnership or a group. So, it's quite natural to expect that entrepreneurs will need to work well with partners, teams, and employees. What amazes me though is how many entrepreneurs are willing to work with “C” Players!

Top performing companies always have an “A” team. In fact, if you carry “C” players on your team, it is unlikely that you will ever rise to the top. If you have been hanging on to your marginal performers, now is the time to free them. The question to ask yourself is this: “Would I enthusiastically hire this person today?” If you cannot answer “yes”, you probably do not have an “A” player. Now is the time to create your “A” team. Leading companies like the Container Store believe that one “A” player is worth three “C” players. The Container Store pays more per hour than the competition, but their overall payroll expense is less.

No matter how small or large your business, great company culture is at the heart of your organization's ability to grow and execute effectively. Your culture must remain strong and alive in your business. Just a handful of “C” players in a company can ruin morale--sapping momentum and synergy, and ultimately, success.

Jack and Suzy Welch answered the question, "How do you weed out the bad apples in an organization," in their column, Ideas the Welch Way, in the November 13, 2006 edition of Business Week (and it is as applicable today as ever!).

While their comments are directed at established organizations, their points are relevant and worthwhile for any entrepreneur to ponder. (You might substitute "employee" with "partner" if you organization is smaller in size).

Here is a summary from the Welch's article:

"Send the Jerks [“C” Players] Packing"

Start by putting down the pruning shears and picking up a buzz saw.

Look, nothing hurts a company more than when the bosses ignore, indulge, or otherwise tolerate a jerk--or two or three--in the house. Such latitude undermines organizational trust and morale. And without those, the competitive linchpins of collaboration and speed are just plain harder. Not to mention the fact that jerks take the fun out of work.

But before we talk about how to get rid of jerks--or bad apples, as you call them--let's be clear about who these people are.

The first are people with good performance and good values. With these winners, management's job is easy. The second are employees who have neither good results nor good behaviors. Again, the job is easy: Show them the door. A third kind of employee may deliver weak results for a year but still exhibit all the behaviors you want, so managers should give these well-intentioned people a second or third chance.

Then there's a fourth kind of employee, the one who delivers the numbers but doesn't live the values. You know the type--who doesn't? These high performers can be mean, secretive, or arrogant. Very often they kiss up and kick down. Some are stone-cold loners, while others are moody, keeping those around them in a kind of terrorized thrall.

And yet, too often Type 4's remain unscathed. Sure, their bosses might rebuke then, but things usually don't change after that. There's been no sting.

You can't do that! If you have jerk problem, you have to stare it in the face. Company leaders must come to believe that jerks hurt the organization more than they help. While their results are great, their collateral damage to the culture and overall competitiveness is far greater.

Once leadership buys into that line of reasoning--and really feels it in the bones--getting rid of jerks is pretty straightforward...but the real clincher in ridding an organization of jerks is removing the ones you have and doing so with public fanfare. Every time you get rid of a jerk, don't miss the opportunity to make it a teaching moment. Pretty soon people will learn that jerk behavior has a steep price indeed.

You can never stop trying to weed out bad apples. They're just rotten for business.

Think about it, and choose to work with great people. Surround yourself with lots of “A” players and your business will thrive. In the end this will lead to greater freedom, more money, and more time. Who doesn't want that?

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Article Tags: A players, Jack Welch, right people



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