“If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.”
~David Ogilvy, Advertising Executive
I’ve seen business owners and middle management in corporations who fight so hard to protect their own patch, as well as their egos, that they only hire people who are either exactly the same as them, or less than them, and therefore no competition.
And I’ve seen smart business owners and very smart people in corporate management who know that by hiring people smarter than them, or who know more than them, will help them build their business or move to the next rung on their career ladder.
As you build your business, get to know your own strengths and weaknesses as well as the strength and weaknesses of your business. Choose people who will add value to your business, not necessarily people who are exactly like you. Look for the gaps not just in skills.
If you know, for example that you are great on detail, but maybe not so great in the people skills area, then avoid the temptation to bring in a clone of yourself, look for someone with great people skills, who can complement your skill set.
If you are a big picture person and know that you can easily miss the detail, then make sure you have someone around you who is able to translate your big picture thinking into doable detail. Two big picture people together will never get the stuff done. There will just be a lot of dreaming which will ultimately lead to frustration because the dream is never realised. A business full of detail people will get bogged down in the process, with their noses so close to the coalface that they will find it difficult to stand back and look at the bigger picture and where they are going.
Join me for Part Two next week when I discuss why building a great team is important.
Until then…
P.S. Learn more about working ON your business–talk to the coach! Click here to connect with me!