An A-player, according to Vyas, wants pressure. They actively gravitate toward stretch goals, ambitious feedback cycles, and colleagues who make them sharper. They grow in high-stakes environments.
B-players, by contrast, are driven by recognition and validation. They perform competently enough to earn praise while carefully avoiding situations that might expose gaps in their expertise.
According to Vyas, A-level talent has confidence, and they’re comfortable enough to say, “I don’t know.” While that might sound counterintuitive, Vyas says this means A-players are secure enough not to try and fake it by offering uninformed advice.
B-players operate differently. They’re calculated, technically competent, but fundamentally insecure. Vyas believes this is a dangerous combination because it makes them appear credible while they’re quietly limiting their team’s potential.
“They perform well enough to get recognition, but avoid anything that exposes gaps,” she said. “They block talent, slow innovation, and lower the ceiling for everyone around them.”
C-players, meanwhile, are careful to the point of paralysis, according to Vyas. They hide rather than risk being wrong.
But while you might read the above descriptions and think C-players are the “bottom performers,” and would thus drag down results, Vyas has a different opinion—one that might surprise you.
“C-players aren’t the real problem. B-players are,” she said. “B-players look competent while quietly damaging performance, blocking growth, and suffocating A-level talent. A-leaders avoid them, A-players outgrow them, and companies eventually push past them.”
