A-Player Framework

Biological Parallel

In honeybee colonies, elite foragers (top 20% of workers) locate 80% of nectar resources through superior navigation, memory, and risk assessment—these 'A-player' bees receive preferential treatment including extra food shares and recruitment attention. The colony's survival depends on identifying and amplifying these high performers while the median workers handle maintenance. Bradford Smart's framework mirrors apian economics: organizations thrive by recognizing that talent distributions follow power laws, not normal curves, and resource allocation should match.