Glue Employee
Reading this WSJ article about "glue employees" brought D immediately to mind. In a modern workplace often obsessed with individual "rockstars," behavioral scientist Jon Levy highlights a more critical asset: the "glue player." These are the employees who hold teams together through high emotional intelligence and quiet leadership. Rather than seeking the spotlight, glue players focus on "leading from behind." They are adept at anticipating needs, drawing out quieter voices, and resolving friction before it stalls a project. They act as force multipliers, making everyone around them more effective without demanding individual credit. D checked every single box and then some, even though you’d rarely hear from her in meetings.
Spotting these individuals requires looking beyond standard metrics like sales figures or lines of code. Levy suggests that glue players leave "clues" in their history, often appearing as mentors, cross-departmental coordinators, or the people who naturally organize community and volunteer efforts. Within an organization, they are easily identified by asking colleagues who they rely on most or who helps the team function smoothly. They are the ones who bridge the gap between silos, ensuring that different departments are aligned and that new hires feel integrated into the culture. I learned about D right as I started the job, and in time, she became my favorite coworker. She either knew the answer or knew exactly who did. If you came in via a warm referral through D, all kinds of doors magically opened. I realized that quickly, and I can’t imagine how much harder it would have been for me to get ramped up without her.
Despite their essential role, glue players are frequently overlooked by traditional corporate reward systems. Most evaluation frameworks measure obvious, individual wins, which effectively ignores the invisible labor of maintaining team cohesion. Levy warns that when companies only reward the top 10% of performers, they accidentally incentivize internal competition and resource hoarding. When a glue player feels undervalued and eventually leaves, the impact is often a "stealth" disaster. Management may not realize why the team’s productivity has tanked until the person who quietly solved everyone else's problems is gone. I was fortunate to leave well before D did, so I didn’t have to experience the complete descent into chaos that followed her departure.
To leverage this "underrated power," Levy argues that leaders must evolve their compensation and recognition models. By introducing peer-nominated awards or tying bonuses to collective team outcomes rather than just individual milestones, companies can signal that collaboration is a core value. Shifting the culture to recognize those who help others succeed not only retains vital talent but also creates a more sustainable environment where "collective genius" can thrive. The article makes the case that the most successful organizations aren't those with the most stars, but those with the strongest glue. I’d say the truth is less binary: You need a few stars who raise the bar and inspire others to try harder, but you need at least one "D" to keep the organization humane.
Spotting these individuals requires looking beyond standard metrics like sales figures or lines of code. Levy suggests that glue players leave "clues" in their history, often appearing as mentors, cross-departmental coordinators, or the people who naturally organize community and volunteer efforts. Within an organization, they are easily identified by asking colleagues who they rely on most or who helps the team function smoothly. They are the ones who bridge the gap between silos, ensuring that different departments are aligned and that new hires feel integrated into the culture. I learned about D right as I started the job, and in time, she became my favorite coworker. She either knew the answer or knew exactly who did. If you came in via a warm referral through D, all kinds of doors magically opened. I realized that quickly, and I can’t imagine how much harder it would have been for me to get ramped up without her.
Despite their essential role, glue players are frequently overlooked by traditional corporate reward systems. Most evaluation frameworks measure obvious, individual wins, which effectively ignores the invisible labor of maintaining team cohesion. Levy warns that when companies only reward the top 10% of performers, they accidentally incentivize internal competition and resource hoarding. When a glue player feels undervalued and eventually leaves, the impact is often a "stealth" disaster. Management may not realize why the team’s productivity has tanked until the person who quietly solved everyone else's problems is gone. I was fortunate to leave well before D did, so I didn’t have to experience the complete descent into chaos that followed her departure.
To leverage this "underrated power," Levy argues that leaders must evolve their compensation and recognition models. By introducing peer-nominated awards or tying bonuses to collective team outcomes rather than just individual milestones, companies can signal that collaboration is a core value. Shifting the culture to recognize those who help others succeed not only retains vital talent but also creates a more sustainable environment where "collective genius" can thrive. The article makes the case that the most successful organizations aren't those with the most stars, but those with the strongest glue. I’d say the truth is less binary: You need a few stars who raise the bar and inspire others to try harder, but you need at least one "D" to keep the organization humane.
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