Caterpillar Cowboy

mcdavis:

xxxjustinralconxxx:

mikehudack:

caterpillarcowboy:

I believe this whole-heartedly:

I never believe in hiring B players and then trying to upgrade with more talented people later when the company has more cash, more customers or is performing better.  The problem is that A players are only attracted to work at places where they see other A players.  They smell B from a mile away.  And also B players often don’t hire other B people.  In my experience B players hire C people.  A begets A, B begets C.  Don’t go there.

Incredibly true.

Nice.  This feels complementary.  I would also add that working with ‘B’ folks lowers our expectations of ourselves, while working with ‘A’ folks raises them.  Being on a team of ‘A’ can turn your A- into an A or even A+.

My only problem with this is where do ‘B’ and ‘C’ people fall?  Couldn’t they move up to ‘A’ status eventually?  Under the guide of an ‘A’, couldn’t a be learn and excel leaps and bounds?

I understand a startup may not have time for that learning to happen, but it seems to me that all A’s were something lower at one point in their life.  Are we not to embrace growth?

I don’t think “A” people are necessarily the most experienced. Some people just “get it”. I’ve had the pleasure of working with people like that - brilliant men and women, college education and work experience not necessary.