It’s not really hiring magic. It’s just that some of us have figured out that we don’t want people who’ll keep doing the same job they’ve been doing for 5 years. We want people who are excited and can do the work we need done NOW!

If you’d like to improve dramatically that strength/weakness mix, use hiring methods that focus on what a person can do, not on what they have done. That can help a manager spot what are the person’s strengths and limitations (I prefer that over “weakness.”) Smart managers strategically place their hires where limitations won’t be a problem, especially when they know what is meant by “actual job competence.”

And before any manager can hire great people, he has to know himself first, his own strengths and limitations. Then he can build a better well-rounded team.

Sorry to be so narky, sometimes I cannot help it.

Always enjoy your posts though, great one on links last week :)

To the Canadian government, it’s what I am on the paperwork… not that I don’t think for a second I’ll eventually replace myself with a more fitting CEO at some point ;-)

>>>2 man chop-shop in a back alley or a work from home interneter

I’m definitely not the latter (though I miss it some days) and last I checked, we were in a very nice office building in the center of our city’s downtown area and we had a bit more than two men :)

But yeah, I get your point…

If you really want to try and impress people when you give them your business card leave out the CEO bit and just put your name and company.

I think I would rather work for a CEO like Rae. She seems more direct and to the point.

There is nothing worse than a boss you have to play guessing games with and walk on glass whenever they are around. I prefer to know exactly where things stand. “To the point” is always best in my book, but I suppose it all depends on your temperament.

>>>”You need to give your people the freedom to explore and develop. At the same time, you need to be willing and ready to bring your foot down on occasion.”

Well, I guess it’s all in how you look at it, because to me, nothing I’ve said above conflicts with that statement – my employees can explore to their hearts content as long as their working hard for the company and its long term health and goals.

The point I was trying to make is this… You may be in a position of authority but you can’t always act like a dictator. Every one of your employees has their own master plan. (at least they should) If you make them feel like YOUR plan is the only one that counts then you will probably have trouble retaining talent.

I believe there is a balance. You need to give your people the freedom to explore and develop. At the same time, you need to be willing and ready to bring your foot down on occasion.

On behalf of those a year or three behind you in the business evolutionary chart, thanks for sharing your experiences :)