THE IDEA
Who's most critical to your company's success, especially during a weak economy? Who supplies the stability, knowledge, and long-term view your firm needs to survive? B players - competent, steady performers far from the limelight.
These supporting actors of the corporate world determine your company's future performance far more than A players - volatile stars who may score the biggest revenues or clients, but who are also the most likely to commit missteps. B players, by contrast, prize stability in their work and home lives...
By: Thomas J. DeLong and Vineeta Vijayaraghavan, The Harvard Business Review