Three Cheers for “B” Players

Eleven of our twelve horses are "B” players," like Genghis pictured on the right. They’re not much to look at and don't have a special pedigree — just solid, dependable performers. I recently memorized a poem by S. Omar Barker entitled “Horses vs. Hosses,” which perfectly describes our herd. My favorite line in the poem is, "They took you where you had to go and always brought you back, without no special rations that you purchase in a sack." We recently added our first "A” player" horse, Ghost, pictured on the left. He’s a beautiful, powerful, and naturally more expensive animal. 

It is normal for CEOs to focus most of their attention on their “A” Players or high-potentials. However, they ignore their solid "B" performers at their peril. A classic HBR article, "Let's Hear it for the B Players," explains these individuals' crucial roles. They "counterbalance the ambitions of the high-performing visionaries whose strengths, when carried to the extreme, can lead to reckless or volatile behavior." This is certainly the case with my son's spirited performance horse, Ghost. I appreciate my steady, dependable "hosses." 

A characteristic of "B” players" is they are often humble and self-deprecating. This was true of S. Omar Barker. He would autograph his poetry books with his brand, which were his initials. When you turn a letter sideways on a brand, it is read as “lazy”. So, his was the lazy SOB brand. 

Watch my recitation of his poem. My Uncle, who brought his young granddaughters for a ride, recorded it. My Dad is saddling our “hosses” in the background. Their ride was, of course, happily uneventful.