In working with more than 800 businesses, I’ve learned a thing or two about hiring and firing staff members. Follow these tips to create a winning team:
Hire for Personality, Not Experience
Too many managers post employment ads that are nothing more than job descriptions. It’s common to find the words ‘experience required’ in those ads, which is a mistake. When I hire an employee, I don’t care if the person has experience. What I do care about is whether or not the person has the personality that I’m looking for. If the person I’m interviewing showcases personality and interpersonal skills, only then does experience become relevant to the discussion.
Interview With Purpose
When it comes to the actual interview, I use the three C’s:
I have a Conversation by asking questions that require ‘expressive’ answers.
I demonstrate Conviction about my company and the job I’m offering to gauge the person’s passion level, and to see if it matches my own.
And I show Curiosity about the person I’m interviewing.
The bottom line is that you should only hire people who are going to make your business better. If I can find someone who expresses passion, creativity and has the interpersonal skills to make a customer feel appreciated, that’s the person I want to work in my business.
Fire Anyone Who Isn’t Pulling Their Weight
Firing is a crucial aspect of good business. Too many business owners and managers see their employees as family. But the fact of the matter is they’re NOT family. They’re your TEAM. And anyone who isn’t pulling their weight needs to be cut, not coddled.
Peer Pressure Works
It’s like with a sports team – a coach won’t coddle a player if he or she isn’t performing. A good coach uses the peer pressure of the team to force the team member who’s not performing to improve. If the team member never improves, he or she is cut – plain and simple.
This is how you should be running your business. If someone isn’t pulling his or her weight, he or she should be let go. Your business will be better for it.
Change Your Perception About the Firing Process
Think of it this way – when you fire someone, you are giving them their future. By letting the person go, he or she is free to find a position or work for a company that will help them realize their true potential.
When you hire, you are bringing on people who show a natural ability and drive to succeed. This helps your business succeed. And when you fire a person, you’re doing them a favor, and you’re improving your business in one fell swoop.
Once you learn to hire the right people and fire the wrong ones to build a successful team, your business will become stronger, and success will be just around the corner.