Cutting Talent ~ Be careful, very careful who you let go!

As a follow up to my blog on "Why it is necessary to Topgrade", we have recently prepared the following paper 'Defining 'A' Players: The Topgrading Alternative to Defining Talent.'  The paper is available for download free and without your having to provide your e-mail address. It is in PDF format so you will need to have the software that is able to read such. Just click on the link below.  

Download Topgrading_Paper_DefiningAPlayers_2008.pdf

Why am I doing this? It is quite simple - as we continue to read about the recession and how companies are cutting back their workforce, it concerns me that 'A' players are being let go and 'B' and 'C' players are remaining. The outcome is that once successful companies never really get back to where they were before the recession.

I appreciate that this is a simplistic viewpoint - very simplistic some may argue but I would suggest that when companies look at cost cutting through downsizing - it becomes nothing more than a circular numbers game (i.e., how can we save X amount of dollars; we can do it by shedding xx amount of costs which includes xx amount of people.) In most instances, it is middle management that is at greatest risk because not only do they have high overheads but because of what they represent, namely the 'middle' and we have been raised to 'cut out the middle man'.

If ever there was a time to Topgrade throughout your organization, it is now. If (or when) you downsize, you need to know the calibre of person that you are letting go regardless of level. To not know whether they are an 'A' or 'B' player at the time of cutting loose, is a disservice to your employees, your shareholders and to your customers. 'A' players are adaptable since they are goal driven and I have seen 'A' players thrown into new roles and succeed. I have seen 'B' players stay in their same role and fail.

Feel free to comment on the Paper. Your comments are always welcome.

ian