During a conversation about working with teams and how A-Players hire A-Players, and that B-Players hire C-Players, me and my mentor discussed how A-Players identify one another.
Me: How do Executive quality people identify the same qualities in others?
My Mentor: You mean how do A-Players identify other A-Players?
Me: Yeah.
My Mentor: It is a secret code.
Me: Are you going to tell me the code?
My Mentor: The code is simple in theory, but not as simple in execution. The secret code to identifying an A-Player is URGENCY. It is the length of time one takes to do something and the quality in which it is done.
Me: Like in a project or an assignment?
My Mentor: In anything you are asked or volunteer to do. Let’s say you are in a meeting or having a casual conversation with a friend. In your discussion, a plan is devised and you have action items to do. The length of time and the quality in which you deliver the action items signals a code to the other person. If you are an A-Player, you deliver the action items as quickly as possible.
Me: What if the other person is a C-Player?
My Mentor: You will know in how long it takes them to get back to you. That is the code.
When my mentor told me this code, I thought I should respond quicker and I did for a while and then I would say: “What is the time frame on this?” And then waited until the last minute. But in time I understood urgency and responded in real time. To remind myself I printed the word URGENCY on a 8 x 10 piece of paper and posted it to my office wall.
Years after this conversation with my mentor I had the opportunity to hear Jocelyn Perry’s story and the power of urgency. Jocelyn is the Executive Vice President and CFO of Fortis, a $46B company. She told me about the start of her career. She was a junior accountant with Bell Aliant and the Vice President needed a favor- to organize his church’s accounting books. She volunteered and handed them back the next morning, completed and in perfect form. (She understood the code, and so did he). A month later she was tapped on the shoulder for a promotion.
Did the church books need to be done that night? After all, it was already a year behind, what was a few more days.
The point is the urgency, the length of time and the quality of the work is the code.
We convey what type of player we are with every response we give. What type of player are you? Email me and tell me what kind of player you want to be.
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Carol
Carol Bartlett
I believe leaders are grown, not born. I believe we influence our destiny with the choices we make, the knowledge we utilize, and the people we meet.
That is why I wake up every day to connect with people around the world to inspire them to actively shape their journey.
