Why A-Players Are Their Own Worst Critics (And What to Do About It)
“I need to lock in.”
“I need to get better at this.”
“I should be doing more.”
The leaders I coach often tell me this is the dialogue they hear coming from their best team members. Not from the ones struggling with their performance. From A-players. The go-to people. The ones who consistently deliver results.
Yet they talk about themselves like they’re barely keeping up.
The A-Player Paradox
This is the counterintuitive truth many leaders don’t understand about high-performers: the better someone is at their job, the more likely they are to doubt their own ability.
You’d think your best people would be the most confident. Instead, they’re often the most critical of themselves.
A-players often doubt themselves more than C-players do.
Why? Because high performers have higher standards. They see gaps that others miss. They’re aware of what elite performance looks like, which means they’re also aware of how far they still have to go.
Some leaders make a classic mistake when they hear this self-doubt.
Every time a top performer says “I need to get better,” they agree. They offer suggestions for improvement. They point out areas for development.
They’re reinforcing their doubt instead of their excellence.
The Knighting Principle
In medieval times, when someone was knighted, the king would touch a sword to both shoulders and declare them worthy. The person didn’t become worthy in that moment. They already were.
The ceremony simply recognized what was already true.
Your job as a leader isn’t to make A-players better. It’s to knight them with their own excellence.
When a top performer says:
“I need to lock in.”
The right response isn’t:
“Yes, here’s how you can improve . . .”
It’s:
“You ARE locked in. That’s who you are. Anyone who’s locked in is always looking for ways to optimize. That’s exactly what you’re doing right now.”
The shift is immediate. Instead of trying to become someone better, they start operating from the identity of someone who is already excellent.
The Identity Shift
There’s a massive difference between these two mindsets:
“I need to become better” vs. “I am excellent and always improving”.
The first creates anxiety and self-doubt. The second creates confidence and continuous growth.
Elite performers in sports learn to make this understanding intuitive.
They don’t think: “I need to become a champion.” They think”: “I am a champion, and champions do this work.”
The same principle applies in business. Your A-players don’t need to become high performers because they already are.
They need to be reminded of that fact.
How To Lead A-Players Like An Elite Leader
This principle transforms how you lead at every level.
Average leaders:
- Focus on what people need to improve
- Point out gaps and weaknesses
- Treat high performance as something to achieve
Elite leaders:
- Reinforce what people already do well
- Point out evidence of existing excellence
- Treat high performance as an identity to maintain
When someone on your team says “I need to get better at presentations”, don’t immediately jump to training suggestions.
Instead, reinforce their existing capability:
“You’re already excellent at connecting with people and explaining complex ideas clearly. What you’re feeling is the natural drive of someone who takes their craft seriously.”
Rewiring Doubt
The power of this approach is in rewiring how your best people see themselves.
Catch them being excellent. Point out specific examples of their high performance. Make it about identity, not just behavior.
Reframe their self-criticism. When they say “I should be doing more”, respond with “The fact that you’re thinking about optimization shows exactly why you’re so effective.”
Use their standards against their doubt. “Anyone who has the standards you have is going to see room for improvement. That’s what makes you exceptional at what you do.”
The Compound Effect
Here’s what happens when you consistently reinforce excellence instead of pointing out gaps:
Your A-players stop operating from insecurity and start operating from confidence. They stop trying to prove themselves and start expressing themselves. Performance improves not by fixing weaknesses, but by amplifying strengths.
I’ve seen this transformation repeatedly. Top performers stop second-guessing decisions. Start taking more initiative. Begin leading with the confidence that matches their capability.
The Value Of Recognition
Your best people are already excellent.
They don’t need you to make them better. They need you to help them see what’s already true.
Every high performer is fighting a battle between their capability and their confidence.
Your job isn’t to add to their capability. It’s already there. Your job is to knight them with the recognition of their own excellence.
When your A-player says “I should be doing more,” remember: they’re not asking for improvement advice. They’re asking for validation that they’re already the person they’re trying to become.
Give them the sword ceremony they deserve.
Because the truth is, they’ve already earned it.
Be Bold. Take Action. Leave a Mark.
Todd Herman
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