hiring dwarfs

“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

So.

Hiring is one of the most difficult things to do in the world. Assessing someone not only for their talents and attitude/work ethic but also chemistry fit within culture and coworkers is a maze. A maze compounded by the fact it isn’t just one assessing but a number of people.

Regardless. This isn’t about the interviewing process.

This is about hiring the best person available.

That is the phrase.

But this isn’t like the NFL draft where you can always take the best athlete. And in today’s world with unemployment being as high as it is it gets even trickier (but honestly I ran into it when I was hiring in the past also).

In business the best athlete may be great short term but not long(er) term.

The reality is overqualified people get frustrated in menial (to them) jobs.

That is a fact.

So.

It takes a special manager to hire the best athlete.

And it gets even trickier if that special manager isn’t within a special organization (but it can be done).

And that is what David Ogilvy is talking about.

Because I just used special twice let me suggest building a company of giants is rare. Because it is tough.

Managers have to be tough and confident and have character. It takes some … well … I cannot think of the word … it just takes something to be managing someone who is either better than you or you know will be better than you.

I know I have been privileged to have a few on the former and a bunch on the latter.

And it is awesome.

Getting passed by talent is okay. In fact it is inspiring personally if you know that in some form or fashion you have enabled that talent to flourish.

Now.

I am not suggesting I am a great manager. And I am sure I have made my share of mistakes in the hiring process by missing out a on a number of giants I am sure.

But Ogilvy is right.

Hiring people smaller than you insures your company will never be a giant.

And Ogilvy didn’t work in today’s work place.

The difficulty is the way today’s business (in America) works.

Upwardly mobile is the measure of success in America (versus a number of European cultures which encourage and incent employees and people to maximize ability regardless of level … so for example you are an excellent master machinist and not interested into upward move into management you are not subjected to disdain for lack of ambition instead encouraged to stay within role and become more efficiently successful).

All that means that in America if you stay at one level or one responsibility too long you have become ‘stagnant’ to management and evaluators and in group evaluations (where managers are encouraged to rank and rate employees) that person will inevitably start ‘sinking’ to the bottom. Not because they actually suck at their job but rather evaluations are set to ‘increase’ and make money and roles bigger.

Ok.

This isn’t about evaluating personnel and creating high performance organizations. This is about the difficulties in hiring and maintaining an organization of giants.

In America coaching people (as a manager) and having them consistently move past you, the manager, translates not into you are a great manager but rather you have maxed out so you need to be moved out.

All that said.

It takes a special manager to maximize people’s potential (even if it means outstripping your own) AND keep your job. It takes courage conviction and some craftiness in your own responsibilities.

Oh.

And it helps to have ownership that wants a company of giants and fosters the attitude.

Today’s business world, management philosophy, is not conducive to hiring potential giants (or best athlete available).

I would imagine someone could argue it isn’t management but rather the generation of young people who are entering into the business world (the slam on them is they feel they are entitled).

Well.

To that someone (who says that).

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm … nope.

I don’t care what generation you have entering into a company as new employees and whatever their upbringing and attitudes are. I can guarantee one behavior. And I will guarantee it.

Give them a giant as a boss and they will run thru walls.

Maybe that is my last point here.

(my first is that businesses just aren’t trying to build companies of giants anymore)

My last point is this whole generational thing could be cause & effect. Instead of picking on the “GenY” employee or whatever ‘young people’s attitudes’ we want to pick on maybe us senior folk should look in the mirror and start thinking like a giant, acting like a frickin’ giant and maybe all those people we are griping about will take giant steps for us.

Wow.

That would a giant leap of faith to attempt that.

Surprisingly great organizations take giant leaps sometimes. That is what makes them giant.