How to Manage a Team of B Players

by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

It isn’t often that leaders and managers flatly state concerns about managing B-Level Players. Often, concerns about the capabilities of B-rate team members are masked with discussions about engagement as if it is the only missing part of the performance puzzle.  While Chamorrow-Premuzic does focus on the importance of engagement, he acknowledges that the challenge is far greater than that.

Overall, he lays the greatest responsibility for managing such a team on the team leader.  Plain and simple.  In short, it is his premise that in order for a leader to be effective with such a group, he or she has to own the fact that the team has deficiencies and combat that reality with intense engagement, vision-setting, and feedback.  Finally, it shouldn’t be overlooked that the Chamorro-Premuzic didn’t state that it is easier to manage an A team or B team, which is wise as both come with their own challenges.