Who You Gonna Pick?

People get promoted. They leave for another job at another company. They make a lateral move for another job at the same company. They retire. And yet, when it’s inevitably time to fill a vacant or newly-created position, many leaders have no idea who they’re going to pick. (more…)

If you lead people, you know that at some point or another a teammate is going to leave. If their performance and commitment were lacking, it’s probably a good thing. If they were a top performer, then you’re likely quite bummed to see them go.

Regardless of why they left, once they permanently step out, you as the leader have to step it up. (more…)

The people that care the most leave first.

This was a key point in Seth Godin’s recent blog post, “You are not the lowest common denominator,” which references the methodical way that companies (technology companies, in particular) eventually, consistently lower their standards in product innovation and service in order to appeal to a broader audience. (more…)

With new growth goals and budgets for the new year, many leaders are preparing to hire new teammates. So when adding to a team, which is more important – potential, loyalty, or team? Here are four things to consider.

  • I go with potential every time. I’m a people developer, so potential and character are all I need to do my work. Keep your eyes open for these candidates if you enjoy developing others or have a good team to support this effort.
  • A new teammate must be able to fit into the team like a puzzle piece. Don’t expect or require new people to be the same. Building a team of clones is not wise. You need and want diversity.
  • Build a team who accepts, serves, and embraces new teammates. Standoffish teams detour growth because new members struggle being accepted.
  • Loyalty is earned, so you can’t hire it. Loyalty exists between people, and it is a relationship. You don’t hold loyalty with a company.

Last week I was asked how I’ve been able to create teams that have achieved such high levels of performance. I’ve been fortunate to lead several unique and differently conditioned teams in my career, including:

  • New Start Up – a team built from scratch for a new business
  • Declining Business – reviving and re-organizing a team
  • Purchased Business – taking over an established team
  • Two Teams Combined – uniting two headstrong teams into one
  • Split Up and Rebuild – Separating one high performing team into two separate areas

Each team called for slightly different adjustments or leadership actions because you create, grow, and lead teams based on the current conditions your business is encountering.

However, there are four actions that have been consistent for my style of building high performing teams in any condition. (more…)

Adding new people to your team is exciting. It often means you’re growing. It gives you the opportunity to bring on new talent, to add someone who brings new strengths that you don’t currently have on your team.

So what kind of person do you look to hire? (more…)