The 'Elite Worker': Outperform Competitors with an Athlete’s Approach to Work
Redefining High-Performance Teams with Lessons from Professional Sports
This introductory article lays the foundation for a concept I term the 'Elite Worker', examining the benefits it brings to a corporate environment. It is about shifting the guiding spirit in corporate high performance away from 19th-century military to 21st-century professional sports. Subsequent articles will pivot to the Elite Worker's perspective, detailing their development path and providing practical insights. Those articles are designed to be valuable not only for those aspiring to become Elite Workers but for anyone seeking to elevate their professional performance.
The term 'elite' is typically only used positively in sports and product marketing. In this series, we use 'elite' deliberately to expand our understanding of workplace excellence. We acknowledge that the term can be sensitive and assure readers that its use here is intended to inspire and provoke thought, not to exclude or diminish.
The Power of Elite Workers
Occasionally, a small company or team, often a startup, emerges and astonishingly outperforms industry giants. Instagram is a prime example: with just 13 employees, they managed a user base of 27 million before being acquired by Facebook. Similarly, OpenAI rapidly ascended to the forefront of Generative AI with a lean team of only 100-120 employees during the development of GPT-3 in 2019-2020. This achievement is even more remarkable when contrasted with Google, the leader in the AI field. Google, boasting nearly two hundred thousand employees, had 1,000-1,200 dedicated to this area in its specialized division, Google DeepMind, during the same period.
These remarkable achievements often stem from leveraging novel technologies, or the advantage of having no legacy constraints. However, there's another crucial factor at play, which we will explore in depth here: the presence of teams with exceptionally skilled workers, which I refer to as 'Elite Workers'.
I emphasize this concept because, while adopting new technologies and shedding legacy systems may not always be feasible, assembling a team of Elite Workers might be. It's likely that you're already employing an adjacent approach to a degree, but there's a strong chance that it could be executed in a better way.
The idea of Elite Workers struck me while reading Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk. I was intrigued by the challenge of separating Musk's brilliant, actionable insights from his more crazy side [read my article Deconstructing Elon Musk’s Get-Things-Done Formula]. Although the concept of 'Elite Workers' is not directly mentioned in the book, Musk’s expectation for all his workers to dedicate their lives to their work is clear. This intense commitment leads to extraordinary outcomes, demonstrating how small Elite Worker teams can significantly outperform much larger competitors.
Consider SpaceX as an example. Starting with a lean and innovative team of just a few hundred, which has grown to 13,000 today, SpaceX has revolutionized space exploration. They developed cost-effective rockets like the Falcon Heavy, dramatically reducing the cost of launching 1 kilogram of cargo into orbit to $951/kg. A stark contrast to the famous Space Shuttle's approximate $27,000/kg, in 1995. Another notable achievement includes sending crew to the International Space Station. Moreover, SpaceX’s development of the Starship marks a significant stride towards future manned missions to the Moon and Mars. During this journey, they have outperformed established industry giants like Boeing (156,000 employees) and Lockheed Martin (116,000 employees).
However, the Elite Worker approach is not a 'silver bullet'. This was evident when Musk acquired and renamed the social media platform Twitter to X. In a drastic move, he reduced the workforce by about 80%, from 7,500 to 1,300, forming a smaller, more dedicated team. This raises several questions: Was this the most effective approach? Could it have been handled better? Is the elite worker model appropriate for every type of task? We'll explore these questions in detail. My hypothesis is that while Musk has identified a valuable concept in Elite Workers, he hasn't fully capitalized on its potential. A key oversight is assuming every employee, regardless of their role, fits the Elite Worker profile. Even with a strong talent brand, applying this model indiscriminately will lead to inefficiencies.
A Brief History of High-Performance Teams
The concept of high-performance teams delivering remarkable results has long been recognized, particularly in high-stakes fields like the military and space exploration.
Lockheed's Skunk Works (1943): During World War II, Lockheed developed the P-80 Shooting Star fighter jet in just 143 days, from initial design to flying production models. This was achieved through their 'skunk work' approach, utilizing “a small team of good people” that operated independently from the main business, typically comprising 10% to 20% of the size of standard teams.
Red Teams (1960s-): Dating back to the early 1960s and used by the US military to simulate Cold War scenarios, Red Teams aim to prevent physical or digital intrusions by adopting the perspective of potential adversaries. The concept has since spread to business use cases such as cybersecurity, AI alignment, and corporate strategy development.
NASA's Tiger Team (1970): Following an explosion on Apollo 13, which led to a critical air shortage, NASA's flight director Gene Kranz assembled a team of engineers and experts. This team, later known as Kranz's 'Tiger Team', worked tirelessly for four days to safely return the astronauts to Earth.
Evolution of the Tiger Team Concept in Businesses (2000-): The concept of Tiger Teams, and its variations, have been adopted in the business world for tackling complex, critical issues beyond the capacity of regular organizational structures. These small, agile, and cross-functional teams are composed of subject matter experts drawn from across the organization, focusing on limited-time, specific projects, often while maintaining their regular roles.
Incorporating High-Performance Teams into Business Structures (2015-): Nowadays, companies are working to integrate the essence of these high-performance teams into their permanent structures. Agile teams, similar in their cross-functional and small-scale nature, differ primarily in their permanence and operational style: tasks are brought to Agile Teams, as opposed to Tiger Teams where experts are mobilized to address a specific problem.
Defining the “Elite Worker”
The concept of Elite Workers represents an evolution of high-performance teams incorporated into permanent organizational structures. To this, we add insights and methodologies gleaned from a realm where high performance is rigorously tested and refined – competitive sports.
In competitive sports today, merely having talent is insufficient for success. Elite athletes must commit every facet of their lives to their sport. This commitment extends well beyond training routines; it includes meticulous attention to sleep, nutrition, and recovery. A compelling example of this dedication is found in the training manifesto of Nils van det Poel, a double Olympic champion in speed skating in 2022. His detailed 62-page document outlines the exhaustive preparation and discipline over three years leading up to the Olympic Games. This level of dedication, if applied to the professional sphere, could revolutionize workplace performance. By adopting the unwavering focus and discipline of elite athletes, we can cultivate work environments where Elite Workers thrive, driving extraordinary results.
To fully grasp the Elite Worker concept, it's crucial to distinguish them from ordinary workers. While there's a middle ground between these two categories, which we'll set aside for the moment, it's essential to understand that this middle position often results in suboptimal performance.
Ordinary workers operate within a structured framework: they perform specific tasks for set hours and receive predetermined pay. This category typically enjoys job security, regular hours, and scheduled vacations. In contrast, Elite Workers operate in a different realm. Their primary objective is optimal performance, with the focus squarely on the outcome rather than the process. This approach mirrors the ethos of professional sports, where results take precedence over all else.
For an Elite Worker, dedication to their work is akin to a lifestyle choice, not just a job. Job security is dynamic; they remain as long as they are the best fit for the role. If someone more capable is found, replacement is a possibility. Consequently, their compensation structure must be unique, featuring higher pay coupled with performance-based incentives. This risk-reward model reflects their commitment and the high stakes of their contributions.
The Elite Worker concept contrasts sharply with the traditional career progression model. In the conventional path, employees work hard, often undercompensated, in anticipation of future rewards, such as promotions. While this model is viable, it doesn't typically yield teams that perform at 10x or 100x levels. A common limitation of this approach is the misalignment between employees' current roles and their aspirations. Many are more focused on climbing the ladder, striving for their boss's position, regardless of their aptitude for that role.
This misalignment is encapsulated in the "Peter Principle" formulated by Laurence J. Peter, which postulates that individuals in a hierarchy tend to rise to their "level of respective incompetence." Essentially, employees are promoted based on success in previous roles until they reach a position where they are no longer competent.
Conversely, the Elite Worker paradigm emphasizes excelling in one's current role, with a strong incentive for continuous improvement. This approach does not imply an immediate leap into high-level performance; similar to athletes, it involves years of dedicated training and development. The journey to becoming an Elite Worker is gradual, requiring consistent effort and mirroring the rigorous preparation of professional athletes before reaching the pinnacle of their sport.
In defining an Elite Worker, it's equally vital to understand what falls outside this scope but is still related:
Key Individuals: These are crucial roles such as a CEO, or a highly specialized technician, whose unique knowledge and skills are vital for business continuity. While important, these roles often benefit from being regarded as unique cases, distinct from the Elite Worker model due to their different nature and scope of work.
Task Teams: Examples include Tiger Teams, formed in response to a specific, often urgent, external events like a natural disaster, or a major cybersecurity attack. Such teams usually consist of regular employees temporarily reassigned to address a critical issue. The primary distinction between these teams and Elite Workers lies in the temporariness of their structure and the rapidity with which they must be mobilized.
However, applying the principles of the Elite Worker model in both cases can offer new perspectives and approaches, enhancing the performance and impact of individuals and teams in these critical roles.
When to use Elite Workers
The idea that all employees should adopt the Elite Worker approach might seem ideal, but it's not always practical or necessary. Firstly, the talent and discipline required for this level of performance are rare. Many people have personal commitments and family lives that demand a predictable routine. Secondly, the cost-benefit ratio needs to be considered; if a regular worker can achieve nearly the same results, the investment in an Elite Worker might not be justified. So, under what circumstances are Elite Workers truly essential?
Elite Workers prove invaluable in situations where a combination of the following elements is critical:
Creative Thinking: Innovation and out-of-the-box ideas are needed.
Problem Solving: Complex challenges require sophisticated solutions.
Quality of Work: When only the highest standard of work is acceptable.
Speed and Timing: Situations where rapid and timely responses are crucial.
A case in point would be averting an asteroid collision with Earth – an extreme scenario in which the stakes couldn't be higher. Historically, WWII initiatives like the Manhattan Project, the development of radar devices in the MIT 'Rad Lab’ or decrypting the Enigma code exemplify missions suited for Elite Workers. On the other hand, roles involving predictable, repetitive tasks (e.g., in fast food, truck driving, warehousing, or accounting) may not benefit significantly from this approach.
Deciding whether to engage an Elite Worker hinge on meeting specific criteria, ensuring that their unique capabilities align with the organization's needs:
Clear Financial Rationale: The situation should be business-critical, warranting the additional cost and effort involved in employing an Elite Worker. There needs to be a compelling risk-reward scenario that justifies the investment.
Significant Impact on Outcomes: The difference an Elite Worker or their team makes should be substantial. There's a relevant adage: sometimes, what you need is one person who can clear a 2-meter hurdle, not two people who can clear a meter each. The value added by the Elite Worker should be evident and measurable.
Flexibility and Critical Timing: The nature of the task should demand a level of flexibility and timing that can't be achieved through standard working hours or conventional methods. It's not about fitting tasks into a typical workweek but about achieving results that hinge on specific, sometimes unpredictable, timelines and crucial moments.
Understanding when to utilize a team of Elite Workers can be clarified through specific examples. Here are scenarios where their deployment would be effective:
Developing New Product Lines: When introducing a new generation of products that significantly deviate from a company's existing offerings.
Staying Ahead in Fast-Evolving Markets: In scenarios where a product is based on rapidly advancing technology, necessitating a constant one-upmanship over competitors.
Pioneering Breakthrough Innovations: Situations involving the creation of entirely new products based on untested technologies, where the path to success is uncertain and filled with potential obstacles.
Launching Start-ups: In start-ups, where a small team faces the challenge of addressing a multitude of tasks and problems.
A commonality in these situations is their outward-facing nature, dealing with external market and technological challenges, rather than internal organizational issues. While dedicated teams are also crucial for business turnarounds or transformations, the Elite Worker model is less applicable here. From experience, it's impractical to split the workforce and have an 'elite' segment dictate new operational methods to the rest. Elite Workers need a degree of separation from the rest of the workforce to avoid such conflicts and to fully realize their potential.
Optimizing Organizational Structures for Elite Workers
Creating an environment conducive to Elite Workers necessitates careful structural adjustments. To avoid conflicts and manage costs effectively, consider implementing these strategies:
Distinct Team Structures:
Physical and Operational Separation: Clearly delineate Elite Worker teams from regular teams to manage varying expectations and working styles.
Independent Entity Formation: In organizations with rigid structures, establishing a separate entity or division for Elite Workers can be more effective.
Specialized Human Resources Framework:
Customized Job Roles and Descriptions: Develop roles and job descriptions specifically tailored to the unique tasks and responsibilities of Elite Workers.
Performance Evaluation: Focus on evaluating both the team's outcomes and each individual's contribution to these results.
Tailored Compensation Models: Create compensation schemes that align with the high-risk, high-reward nature of Elite Workers' roles.
Management Style Inspired by Professional Sports:
Coaching-Based Leadership: Transition from traditional hierarchical management to a coaching model that prioritizes optimizing individual and team performance.
Support Roles: Incorporate roles for training, mentoring (including external experts), and healthcare support, essential for maintaining the well-being and peak performance of Elite Workers.
Adopting a Learning and Adaptation Philosophy:
Flexibility: Elite Worker teams often encounter unique, unexpected challenges. In such scenarios, the ability to adapt swiftly is crucial. Unlike in many large companies, this might mean improvising solutions even in the absence of established structures, ensuring rapid and effective problem-solving.
Trial and Error: Rarely will you get everything right on the first try. Whether it's the team structure, operational methods, or personnel allocation, expect a learning curve. Adopt a philosophy of trial and error, supported by a systematic approach to experimentation and refinement. This mindset allows for continuous learning and improvement based on real-world experiences.
Pragmatism: Managing Elite Workers effectively requires a pragmatic approach. Leverage the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) to focus on what yields the most significant results. Prioritize actions that deliver the highest value, understanding that perfection is often less critical than practical, impactful solutions.
By integrating these elements, your organization will foster an environment where Elite Workers can excel, drawing upon successful methodologies from professional sports while adapting them to the corporate world's unique demands.
Managing Elite Workers
Managing Elite Workers goes beyond simply pushing for relentless hard work and flawless adherence to processes. The primary focus should be on achieving the desired outcome. The path to this outcome is often uncertain and may require exceptional effort, but hard work in itself is not the end goal. This approach is not about workers striving to impress managers for a promotion; it's entirely about meeting specific objectives. If an Elite Worker isn't meeting these objectives, or if there's someone who could do it more effectively, a change might be necessary, similar to decisions made by a soccer team coach.
In managing Elite Worker teams, we are looking for a hybrid approach, combining traditional management techniques used in high-performing corporate teams with strategies employed in managing professional sports teams. It's about balancing corporate structure with the agility and result-focused mindset of sports management, ensuring that Elite Workers are both supported and challenged to deliver their best.
From the Elite Worker’s perspective, there is no singular correct approach. However, their focus can be divided into four key areas, each requiring attention, development, and support:
Work Execution: This includes prioritizing tasks, focusing effectively, managing time efficiently, and utilizing the right tools.
Platform for High Performance: Key elements here are physical and mental training, along with attention to sleep and nutrition.
Evolution of Capabilities and Skills: Areas of focus should include planning and goal setting, ongoing learning and education, measuring and evaluating outcomes, and receiving mentoring and feedback.
Career Management: This encompasses managing assignments, obtaining legal support, and accessing services that aid focus on current tasks, similar to the support of an assistant at work or domestic services at home.
While some of these aspects are the responsibility of the worker, others must be provided by the organization. At a minimum, companies need to create an environment and structure conducive to these practices.
Challenges in Implementing the Elite Worker Model
Successfully implementing the Elite Worker model involves navigating potential pitfalls:
The 'In-Name-Only' Implementation: A pitfall in adopting the Elite Worker model is the 'in-name-only' approach, where organizations declare the formation of an Elite Worker team but neglect to provide the necessary distinct structures and resources. This could lead to a 'stuck in the middle' scenario, where the team is unable to fully leverage the benefits of the Elite Worker model while still being constrained by the limitations of a regular workforce. To effectively implement this concept, it's crucial to establish dedicated resources and operational frameworks that are explicitly tailored for Elite Workers and distinct from those used for regular employees. This involves creating a work environment, evaluation metrics, and support systems that are specifically designed to enable Elite Workers to excel.
Loss of Key Resources in the Transition: A key obstacle in forming an Elite Worker unit is the mistaken belief that a current team of key resources can be directly transformed into Elite Workers. Such enforced changes can be counterproductive, potentially leading to the loss of invaluable staff. It's crucial to understand that embracing the Elite Worker role involves mutual agreement and a true alignment with its rigorous demands and principles. Forcing this model without team members' buy-in can spark resistance and result in attrition. However, this doesn't imply a complete reliance on external hiring. While bringing in external talent can offer new perspectives and skills, it's equally important to integrate internal employees who willingly adopt the Elite Worker mindset. This balanced approach preserves essential organizational knowledge and blends the stability of internal experience with the freshness of external insights, a combination vital to the success of an Elite Worker team.
Unrealistic Expectations on Budgets and Talent Recruiting: A significant challenge in rolling out an Elite Worker model is aligning ambitious goals with actual budget limitations and talent market realities. Organizations often set their sights high, benchmarking against top-tier performers, yet find themselves constrained by limited budgets and less prominent talent brands. A realistic assessment of financial and recruitment capabilities is essential. Properly aligning the Elite Worker program's scope and scale with available resources becomes critical. This approach may involve starting modestly and scaling the initiative as results justify further investment, or in some instances, reevaluating the practicality of implementing an Elite Worker strategy if resources are substantially limited.
Apply the Elite Worker Modell in the Wrong Areas: Reflecting on Elon Musk's approach, it's evident that while he may not explicitly conceptualize Elite Workers as defined here, his expectations suggest a similar work ethic across his companies. However, there's a critical distinction between Elite Workers and dedicated, hardworking, loyal regular employees. In many situations, the latter group is entirely adequate. Recognizing this difference is essential, and it requires the organization to have a clear vocabulary and understanding that distinguishes between these two types of workers. Misapplying the Elite Worker model in areas where regular, committed employees would suffice can lead to unnecessary strain and missed opportunities for optimal workforce utilization.
Expecting Elite Worker Performance from Regular Employees: Employing the Elite Worker model requires more than just a lot of worked hours from a regular workforce; it requires a foundational structure. When organizations attempt to shortcut this process, coercing regular employees to deliver Elite Worker outcomes without the corresponding support and environment, the results can be counterproductive. This misapplication often leads to only ephemeral achievements and, more critically, can cause long-term performance degradation and employee burnout. This phenomenon is notably prevalent in high-profile startups, where an ethos of extreme dedication is often celebrated. It also manifests in work cultures like China's '996' system, where working from 9am to 9pm, six days a week, is normalized. However, the implications of such intense work environments are concerning. A 2013 survey among IT professionals in these conditions highlighted severe health repercussions, including a staggering 98.8% reporting health-related issues and a significant increase in suicide rates. To avoid these outcomes, it's crucial to establish proper expectations and resources. Ensuring that regular employees are not pushed beyond their limits is essential, as is providing the appropriate structures and support for those expected to perform at an Elite Worker level.
Too much focus on maximizing hours worked: A critical oversight in managing Elite Workers is placing too much emphasis on maximizing work hours without considering the overall picture. Compare this to the management of a marathon runner: while a marathon runner is capable of peak performances a few times a year, expecting them to perform at this level daily is unrealistic and leads to overtraining, injuries, and diminished performance. Similarly, Elite Workers require a balanced regimen that balances periods of intense work with adequate recovery. This approach is crucial to prevent burnout and maintain peak performance levels. The goal is to create a working environment that promotes longevity and sustained high performance, rather than short-term gains at the expense of long-term productivity and employee welfare.
By addressing these challenges with thoughtful strategies, organizations can successfully implement the Elite Worker model, leading to enhanced performance and competitive advantage.
Broadening the Elite Worker Mindset Across Diverse Professions
While this article has adhered to a specific definition of the Elite Worker, it's important to recognize that the core principles of this model can be beneficially applied to a variety of other roles. Professions that may significantly gain from an adapted Elite Worker approach include:
Entrepreneurs: Typically embodying the essence of the Elite Worker through their dedication and commitment to their ventures.
Senior Managers: Who can leverage aspects of the Elite Worker model to enhance decision-making and strategic leadership.
High-End Professional Services: Such as Management Consultants, where the intensity and quality of work are critical to success.
Finance Sector Professionals: Where precision, analytical acumen, and sustained high performance are paramount.
In upcoming articles, we will delve deeper into the specifics of becoming an Elite Worker. From an individual perspective, not every aspect of the Elite Worker model may be directly transferable or necessary for high performance in these roles. However, selecting and adapting relevant elements of the model can lead to significant improvements in performance and outcomes.
Recommendations
If you want to investigate if an Elite Worker model is suitable for your company, here is a structured approach:
Analyse Your Current Situation:
Conduct an assessment of your existing workforce. Identify potential Elite Workers and evaluate the current distribution of roles between regular, potential Elite Workers, and those in between.
Analyse how your organization's current practices and culture align with the Elite Worker concept. This includes reviewing current productivity, employee engagement, and the existing talent management strategy.
Evaluate the Implementation of an Elite Worker Model:
Develop a business case for the Elite Worker model. This should include an analysis of potential advantages and disadvantages, ensuring a clear understanding of the model's impact on organizational dynamics and performance.
Consider both tangible and intangible factors, such as potential productivity gains, enhanced innovation, employee satisfaction, and any potential risks or cultural shifts that may occur.
Generate an Implementation Plan and Decision-Making Material:
Create a high-level implementation plan outlining the steps needed to integrate the Elite Worker model into your organization. This should cover aspects such as team restructuring, training and development programs, and changes to performance evaluation processes.
Prepare decision-making materials that summarize the analysis, evaluation, and proposed implementation plan. This material should be designed to facilitate informed decision-making by stakeholders, ensuring clarity on the objectives, expected outcomes, and required resource commitments.