How to know if you’re an A, B, or C player, according to an elite recruiter who’s interviewed over 50,000 executives

Vyas, who has more than 300,000 followers on TikTok, posted a video this week showing how leaders sort talent, revealing why some professionals thrive while others stagnate. The framework hinges on what fundamentally motivates each level of performance.

She said in the video: “A players are looking for a challenge, “B” players are looking for credit, and “C” players are looking for comfort.

Confident vs. Calculated vs. Cautious

The first player, according to Vyas, wants to press. They actively gravitate toward stretch goals, ambitious feedback cycles, and colleagues who make them more visible. They grow in high-risk environments.

In contrast, B players are motivated by recognition and validation. They perform competently enough to earn praise while carefully avoiding situations that might reveal gaps in their experience.

Meanwhile, C players simply want security and anonymity. They are less interested in getting ahead than they are in staying unnoticed

According to Vyas, A-level talent is confident, and they are comfortable enough to say ‘I don’t know’. While this may seem counter-intuitive, Vyas says this means that top players are safe enough not to try to fake it by offering ill-considered advice.

B players operate differently. They are calculated, technically competent, but fundamentally insecure. Vyas believes this is a dangerous combination because it makes them look credible while quietly limiting their team’s potential.

“They perform well enough to get recognition, but avoid anything that exposes gaps,” she said. “They stifle talent, slow down innovation, and lower the bar for everyone around them.”

Meanwhile, C players are cautious to the point of paralysis, according to Vyas. They hide rather than risk being mistaken.

But while you may read the above descriptions and think that C players are the “underperformers” and therefore potentially dragging down results, Vyas has a different opinion – one that may surprise you.

“The C players are not the real problem. The B players are the real problem,” she said. “Ace players appear competent while quietly hurting performance, stifling growth, and stifling top-tier talent. Ace players avoid them, Ace players outcompete them, and ultimately they are outperformed by companies.”

For Vyas, the true cost of B players is not immediately visible. They don’t fail spectacularly. They succeed enough to remain embedded in the organization while systematically raising barriers to exceptional performance

You can watch Vyas’ full TikTok on the topic of Players A, B and C below:

@elite.recruiter Player Framework A/B/C Players chase pressing. B players chase credit. C players chase comfort. Most people think they are “A” players…until they hear how players actually work. This is the truth that no one in HR will tell you: 🔺A player who seeks a challenge. They want pressure, feedback, stretch goals, and people who lift them up. 🔸B players seek credit. They hire and protect their egos and appear competent while quietly slowing down the entire team. 🔻C players are looking for comfort. They avoid risk, they avoid conflict, they avoid growth – and ultimately fall behind. After 25 years and over 50,000 executive interviews, I can spot a ‘B’ player in seconds… and I can definitely know when I should market an ‘A’ player directly to my clients. If you want to understand how leaders rank talent behind closed doors… COMMENT ZOOM and come to my next live webinar. I will analyze the politics of promotion, the power dynamics, and the hidden rules that decide who gets to step up and who gets quietly sidelined. My mission – tell you what they won’t do. #corporatetruths#careeradvice#eliterecruiter#officepolitics#aplayer♬ original audio – Elite Recruiter – Deepali Vyas