Hire Great Talent. People Are The Only Asset

Remember People Are The Only Asset You Have

A privilege of working in a large, Fortune 500 organization is the opportunity to learn from great leaders. While each of these leaders were different, they all had one thing in common – their relentless focus on talent. You must hire great talent to succeed.

One of the most important factors is the importance of attracting, developing and hiring great talent. Given the low unemployment rates and health of our economy you could call it “winning the war on talent.”  The success of an organization depends on it.

Over the years, there are two pieces of advice that stuck with me. The first piece of advice was “I tend to hire people who have led in different facets of life with diverse experiences – in the military, played sports at high levels, worked/lived in different countries around the world.”  The second piece of advice is “you must attract & develop of talent at all levels of your organization.” This includes early in career talent (e.g. internships, college hiring) attracting great diverse talent, fighting against creating a homogeneous org of thinkers (e.g. lazy hiring) and committing to the right leaders in place to build followership, foster empathy and build around long-term. It is all three levels that are important, each putting pressure on the other to ‘raise the bar’.

Over time, I came to learn that people are the only real asset we have…other than a couple of buildings perhaps.  Over the last several years, it is never more true than today.  As we work thru our own annual people discussions, it has been top of mind.

I thought I would share a few learnings over the last several years of leading teams.

Hire “A” Players. Remember The 4 “A’s”

There is a saying in business that says only hire “A” players”. Think of this as a reference to a school grade – A, B, C, D, etc.  There are several reasons to focus on “A” players. It reinforces the importance of hiring the best talent, but it also that “A” players tend to recognize, hire and surround themselves with other “A” players.” Great players want to be part of great teams.  Also, I love what “A” players stand for and how they play.  I am often reminded of the 4 As – attitude, aspiration, ability & adaptability when I think about “A” players. Those words tell you a lot about the their characteristics.

“A” players have the right attitude, they are coachable, driven, take on feedback and are voracious learners. They have the aspiration, commitment & grit to succeed and grind it out. “A” players have natural ability. They are talented, succeed in all sorts of environments and have professional knowledge & experience. The final piece is adaptability. If you look at the pace of change today, “A” players are jack of all trades, wear many hats in the organization and are tenacious about pursuing the right outcomes. “A” players demonstrate a blend of both intelligent quotient (IQ) & emotional quotient (EQ).

“A” players also become multipliers in your organization. They create a culture of performance in your organization, they become an extension of their leader or manager with the teams around them. “A” players also role model the right behaviors and bring their best every day. As you create a high performing team the attitude of your entire organization changes – engagement, performance & productivity.

Ask The Right Questions. Have A Deliberate Recruiting Plan

When I am recruiting someone for a job,  I always think about build and buy. What are the skills I need immediately from the market (e.g. buy) and what are the skills I can be learned over time (e.g. build). This helps you establish the key criteria for hiring and it will help you identify the right skills, experiences and knowledge required. Remember, hire great talent!

I remember a great manager telling me to hire ‘true professionals’. Professionals are people who are appropriately qualified to do the work and have the professional knowledge to be successful (e.g. think college degree, certifications, proven experiences, big challenging jobs, etc.). Don’t settle with ‘talented amateurs’.  We need people who can help us transform our business and innovate, not just those will do a good job, we need those will do the best job. Remember, hire great talent!

In an interview it is important you ask the right questions. Interviews need to focus on a blend of testing experience, situational learnings as well as both testing intellectual & emotional quotients. This will allow you to probe for skills necessary for the 4th industrial revolution. These are skills such as critical thinking, complex problem solving, cognitive flexibility, etc.

Technology will continue to transform our lives at a pace never before experienced, it will outpace education. Hiring the right talent into your organization is what will make the difference (think attitude, aspiration, ability & adaptability).

The most successful organizations will be the ones that attract, retain and develop them. Remember, people are the most important asset you have. You must hire great talent!

Remember that life is a game never won or lost, only played.