If you are running a business, then you know that you have to deal with people.
The people you choose to represent your business are ambassadors of your cause, the face of your company, the spokesperson of your brand, the true carriers of your torch. As such, you have to choose who you bring into your company wisely. We are so used to looking for the “best” employee, we become blind to the “right” employee. We tend to focus on what looks good on paper. The thing of it is, degrees don’t make a person; neither does experience. It can help, but it’s not everything.
Here’s how to find the ideal match quicker and easier:
Be open and transparent about your business mission
Your business seeks to achieve something. There is a conviction living at the heart of it that infuses everything you do and stand for. This conviction declares what problem you are tackling, what promise you are making to the world and how you are going about it. When you look for new people, this should be the first thing they learn about you because if someone has 10 PHDs but no connection to your cause, their impact equals zero.
Share your business culture immediately
The way things are done are key to making people feel like they belong. Most businesses do not share their culture early in the hiring process. Culture- the definition of how actions are carried out, how growth is achieved and how conflicts are resolved within your company- is critical when building a team. Once you have developed your culture compass, you can use tools and methods to find candidates that agree with your HOW, and support your culture.
Make your top level vision part of the conversation
If people want to work for and with you, they need to agree on the destination you have defined in your vision. It’s not enough to lure them in with perks and promises, they need to feel engaged in walking towards the same vision as you are. Many businesses shy away from sharing a visualized dream with candidates, which is too bad because an inspiring vision is so important to build connection.
A vision to become number one or grow by 15% by X time is so basic and kind of a buzz kill. It’s not really engaging. Here’s a tip: my most successful clients use actual pictures to describe their vision and wrap a story around it.
The bottom line:
You are in the people business, we all are. So, you need people to deliver your promise. Make the hiring and on boarding process as human as possible by sharing values that are relevant to people’s notion of meaning. Mission – Culture – Vision are three key pillars that only work if you are open and clear about them. Make them part of the process and you will be blessed with the right people who truly believe in what you stand for and will give their all to your mission and vision.
