A, B, or C Players? How Smart Leaders Build Teams Without Destroying Culture

Send us a text

In Episode 36 of The Business Fix, Chrissy and Josh tackle one of the most uncomfortable (and unavoidable) realities of leadership: not every employee shows up the same way, and pretending they do is hurting your business. This episode takes a hard, honest look at A, B, and C players, why those labels are so often misunderstood, and how great leaders use them ethically to build strong teams without wrecking their culture.

With a mix of real-world stories, sharp humor, and no-BS leadership insight, they break down how to identify high performers without creating arrogance, why your “middle players” are actually the backbone of your organization, and how so-called C players often fail because they’re in the wrong seat—not because they lack capability. You’ll learn how to lead different types of employees effectively, avoid the trap of chasing only A players, and make smarter decisions around hiring, promotion, coaching, and termination.

You’ll also hear about:

• Why hiring only A players can destabilize your entire team
• How to ethically manage performance without turning people into labels
• The difference between a skills gap and a values mismatch
• When repositioning an employee makes sense—and when it doesn’t
• How clarity, consistency, and expectations drive real accountability
• Why strong leadership systems matter more than raw talent

This episode is packed with practical leadership strategies and people-management insights that will help you build a high-performing team, strengthen company culture, and lead with confidence instead of constant second-guessing without burning out your employees or yourself.

If you're looking to get help with your culture, or to help out an entire group, reach out to Josh and Chrissy today! We would love to see how we can help you, your business, or your event. Contact us!

ClarityHR is your fractional HR team, giving you real people, real support, and real solutions. Whether it’s compliance headaches, hiring struggles, or just needing someone to take the people stuff off your plate — we’ve got your back. So if you’re ready to stop using duct-tape and hope as your HR strategy and finally get some peace of mind, head over to ClarityHR.com

If you're looking to start your own podcast or maybe you just want to add the next level of professionalism to your podcast and brand, you should be working with the producers behind The Business Fix at Pedal Stomper Productions. Click the link to learn more about how you can get your podcast to the next level. https://www.pedalstomperproductions.com

🎙 Ready to Fix What’s Holding Your Business Back?
The Business Fix podcast delivers real-world strategies to grow your business, lead your team, and reclaim your time. New episodes drop weekly—packed with insights for business owners and managers who want to do better.

🔗 Connect with Chrissy and Josh at https://www.businessfixpodcast.com/ for more tools, support, and clarity.

Enjoy the episode? Leave us a review, share it with your leadership team, and let us know your biggest takeaway in the comments!