Entrepreneurial Leadership

There’s one additional thing leaders can do to shape the culture—arguably the most important one. It’s getting the right people into the company and getting the wrong ones out.

Invest in culture by rewarding those who behave consistently with it and coaching or removing those who violate it.

Teams succeed and fail together.

The best way to improve the performance of your team is to make the right choices when adding or replacing its members.

When I begin looking to fill a job opening, I begin with self-talk, to put myself in the right mind-set for hiring. I tell myself: It’s a privilege to meet people who want to work with me. I’m looking for someone to work with for the next ten years.

When I begin looking to fill a job opening, I begin with self-talk, to put myself in the right mind-set for hiring. I tell myself: It’s a privilege to meet people who want to work with me. I’m looking for someone to work with for the next ten years. I will find someone with whom I can develop mutual trust.

MISTAKE #1: HIRING YOURSELF

MISTAKE #2: HIRING THE RÉSUMÉ, NOT THE PERSON

But what you’re really selecting for are qualities you won’t find on a résumé—brains and heart.

But what you’re really selecting for are qualities you won’t find on a résumé—brains and heart. They’re at the root of a person’s ability to confront unexpected challenges, to demonstrate wisdom and judgment, and to develop into an invaluable part of your team.

If I had to choose one over the other, I would go with brains (raw capacity, curiosity, the ability to learn) and heart (character, drive, integrity) and figure that a person who possesses them will be able to acquire any skills needed to get the job done.

MISTAKE #3: FAILING TO DO IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS

the interviewing team often has no clear strategy for what each is trying to discover. Without a plan, they cruise through conversations on autopilot, asking predictable questions and getting canned answers: Where do you see yourself in five years?

the interviewing team often has no clear strategy for what each is trying to discover. Without a plan, they cruise through conversations on autopilot, asking predictable questions and getting canned answers: Where do you see yourself in five years? Which project have you enjoyed working on most? What do you see as your main strengths and weaknesses?

One of the best interview techniques involves listening carefully to questions the candidate asks, then asking yourself: What is this person looking to get out of the job? What are her concerns? What does “winning” look like for her?

You, too, should expect to be interviewed by qualified candidates.

MISTAKE #4: LAZY REFERENCE CHECKING

“What type of job would you not hire this person for?” or “How does this person choose between competing priorities?”

“Is there anything else I should know when considering him for the job?”

Involving the team doesn’t mean everyone gets a vote. After all, you’ll be ultimately responsible for the team’s output.