The Entrepreneur's Guide To Hiring

New or seasoned entrepreneur. Small or large business. Ample or limited budget. There is a new book just for you that teaches you how to strategically recruit people with the values and goals that will drive your venture forward.

Authored by Dave Carvajal, experienced entrepreneur and recruiter, the book is, Hire Smart From the Start: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Finding, Catching, and Keeping the Best Talent for Your Company.

Most important, you’ll learn how to:

Prioritize people over technology/ideas and capital.
Reframe your recruiting mindset to custom-fit talent to your organization (rather than settling for skill competence).
Use a tried-and-true process to search for individuals whose value/work-styles are compatible with your organization’s culture.

Hiring smart is key explains Carvajal, “because entrepreneurs need a competitive advantage, and that advantage is a group of people rather than a strong individual at the top.”

“I am not discounting the value of a strong leader; I’m just suggesting that it’s no longer enough,” he adds.

The book also explains (and then offers ways to counteract) the two hiring myths in particular that cause entrepreneurs to make hiring mistakes:

The Myth of Greatness: Our company is so terrific, our products and services are so amazing, that the best and the brightest will be falling all over themselves to apply for our job openings.

The Myth of Smallness: Our company is relatively insignificant compared to the larger companies or the market leaders; none of the top candidates would want to work here.

Even though these two myths are opposites, entrepreneurs often recruit under the influence of one of them.

Finally, the book shows you how to:

Recruit with an eye toward emerging and future trends.
Find and recruiting people who get things done.
Attract high-level hires (leaders and managers).
Entice “reach” candidates to leave good-paying jobs to come to your company.
Ask probing questions that get beyond skills, and uncovers motivations and values.

Thank you to the book publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

Comments

How To Maximize Your Chances Of Landing The CEO Role

In the new book, CEO Ready , authors Mark Thompson and Byron Loflin reveal what you need to do to maximize your chances of being the one who secures the top spot. Specifically, they detail the seven key stakeholders who weigh in on whether to choose you as CEO. “Collectively, we have coached more than 200 executives who have been selected by their board members to become CEOs,” share the authors. “We can help you prepare to be a great CEO either in your current organization or elsewhere. We will share tools you can use to get objective feedback from all stakeholders, so you have complete visibility into what you’re up against.” As you seek the CEO role, the authors explain that leadership selection isn't the methodical, objective process that one often imagines. They add that decisions aren't made by robotic executives ticking boxes for attributes such as strategic fit, core competencies, or cultural alignment. Instead, the process is deeply personal, emotional, a...

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership . In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catal...

How To Be More Respectful In Life And In The Workplace

“It is respect for one another that builds healthy relationships. It is mutual respect that creates friendships and enables societies and their organizations to function effectively. It is respect that establishes trust between individuals and groups,” states Robert L. Dilenschneider , author of the new book, Respect: How to Change The World One Interaction At A Time . “While my books typically have been for a business audience—and this one is perfect for entrepreneurs to directors to CEOs—it also will resonate with anyone at any point in their life who wants to improve interpersonal communication and relate to others with authenticity,” adds Dilenschneider. Drawing on his decades of leadership experience and insights from respected voices in healthcare, education, business, politics, nonprofit foundations, and the arts, Dilenschneider offers a clear roadmap for building stronger connections and communities. As you read the book, you will learn: Why self-respect...

My Favorite Leadership Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership Book

Here are some of my favorites quotes from John C. Maxwell 's book, The 5 Levels of Leadership that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catalyst for bringing out the best in the team. Progress comes only from taki...

How To Master The Cycles Of Leadership: The Four Seasons

Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a newly appointed CEO, or a board member wanting to better steward your company’s performance, A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering The Cycles Of Leadership is the hands-on playbook you need – packed with practical, proven tips to help you navigate the four distinct phases of leadership. “The journey of a CEO has a beginning, middle, and end, and the challenges leaders face early on are often far different than those midway through and near retirement, explain the authors of the book – Carolyn Dewar , Scott Keller , Vikram Malhotra, and Kurt Strovink . “For us, the most apt analogy to describe these cycles is the four seasons of the year,” they add. Spring : Stepping up - Preparing for the role. Summer : Transitioning into the role. Starting strong. Leading with impact. Fall : Navigating the middle years. Staying ahead. Sustaining momentum. Enhancing your learning. Future-proofing the organization. Winter : Transitioning out of the rol...

7 Honest-Feedback-Extracting-Questions To Ask When Hiring

Awhile ago, the Harvard Business Review published some great questions that Gilt Groupe CEO Kevin Ryan asks when he is checking references. Ryan serves on the board of Yale Corporation, Human Rights Watch, and INSEAD , and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a B.A. from Yale University and a M.B.A from INSEAD. His main seven honest-feedback-extracting-questions (and follow-ups) are: Would you hire this person again? If so, why and in what capacity? If not, why not? How would you describe the candidate's ability to innovate, manage, lead, deal with ambiguity, get things done and influence others? What were some of the best things this person accomplished? What could he or she have done better? In what type of culture, environment, and role can you see this person excelling? In what type of role is he or she unlikely to be successful? Would you describe the candidate as a leader, a ...

The 12 Ways Marriott Practices Good Leadership And Customer Service

The next time you stay at a Marriott hotel look in the nightstand drawer for Marriott's booklet that highlights its milestones and tells the Marriott story. In the booklet, you'll find the following 12 ways that Marriott practices good leadership AND customer service : Continually challenge your team to do better. Take good care of your employees, and they'll take good care of your customers, and the customers will come back. Celebrate your people's success, not your own. Know what you're good at and mine those competencies for all you're worth. Do it and do it now. Err on the side of taking action. Communicate. Listen to your customers, associates and competitors. See and be seen. Get out of your office, walk around, make yourself visible and accessible. Success is in the details. It's more important to hire people with the right qualities than with specific experience. Customer needs may vary, but their bias for quality never does. Elimin...

How To Provide Caring Criticism

Negative feedback is part of growing as a leader -- both delivering that feedback and sometimes receiving that type of feedback. Keith Ferrazzi , CEO of Ferazzi Greenlight , a research-based consulting and training company, suggests practicing " caring criticism ," as he explained it in the Harvard Business Review . "Negative feedback can hurt, but usually it's a gift aimed at helping the recipient improve performance or avoid mistakes. We should deliver and receive it that way," says Ferrazzi. "Use phrases like 'I might suggest' and 'Think about this'" when giving feedback. And, then Kerrazzi suggests when receiving candid feedback, that you thank the person who offered it and make clear the points on which you agree. He's found that if you think of the person giving you honest feedback as generous, rather than critical , you become less defensive and more open to changing your behavior.

How To Be More Impactful Through Entrepreneurial Giving

This Thanksgiving as you think about what you are grateful for, think, too, about how you can be more giving. To help you discover a more giving you, read the new book, A Talent For Giving , by John Studzinski . It introduces the meaning of entrepreneurial giving - a hands-on approach to philanthropy that harnesses skills, expertise, and resources. Through thought-provoking insights, A Talent for Giving offers a powerful new roadmap for impact as Studzinski shows how anyone, regardless of financial means, can become a force for change. You do that by maximizing your Talent , Time , and Treasure and by embracing these values alongside others like Trust , Technology , and Trial , according to Studzinski. “Giving is any act of kindness or generosity that recognizes and respects the dignity of another human being,” shares Studzinski. “It can be something very simple – a smile, or a hug or a few words. And on a larger scale, it’s giving your time,...

How To Build A High-Performing, Resilient Organization With Purpose

“It’s time to get intentional about organizational culture and to make it strong on purpose,” explain James D. White and Krista White , authors of the new book Culture Design: How To Build A High-Performing, Resilient Organization With Purpose . “Strong company cultures, deliberately shaped, are the difference between businesses that are great versus those that are just good enough,” they add. The authors define organizational culture as a set of actions, habits, rituals, and beliefs that determine how work gets done, how decisions get made, and how people experience their workplaces. "Strong cultures don't emerge by accident," share the authors. "They're built—with clarity, consistency, and design. This book is your guide to intentionally designing a culture that is resilient, inclusive, powerful, and effective." Informed by over thirty years of operating experience across sectors and in the boardroom, the authors offer these strategies for desig...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog