10 CEO Nuggets for Finding and Keeping Your “A” team

A note to CEO’s from Theresa Torseth, my executive search professional friend:

1. Hire for attributes; train skill.

Hire and promote first on the basis of integrity; second, motivation; third, capacity; fourth, understanding; fifth, knowledge; and last and least, experience. Without integrity, motivation is dangerous; without motivation, capacity is impotent; without capacity, understanding is limited; without understanding, knowledge is meaningless; without knowledge, experience is blind. Experience is easy to provide and quickly put to good use by people with all the other qualities.

This advice from Dee Hock, founder of Visa, will serve you well.

2. Be seen and seeable.

You’re the leader. Prospective employees will look to you to see what you believe, where you are going and if they choose to follow. Google your name and your company name; see what comes up and create an action plan for creating your image—for telling your story.

3. Create learning paths.

Lateral moves are yawners. A clear chance to take on impactful projects, be mentored, or to grow into a dream job raises a prospect’s heart rate.

4. Give back.

…and allow your employees to do the same. People want to make a difference. Providing or allowing time for community contribution is a benefit that is more attractive than ever.

5. Be flexible.

Allowing employees to work flextime to match traffic flow or childcare schedules is a plus. Not doable in your company? Survey employees to see if a slight change in start/end times would be beneficial.

6. Make your company career page a magnet.

Take that magnetic vision, those appealing benefits and your compelling people create a career page that makes you stand out to the right perspective employees. Go here to see 10 sites that work!

7. Toss out traditional job descriptions.

Articulate the prioritized RESULTS you need the new hire to produce in the next 3, 6, and 12 months. Do you really care if the person has 10 years experience – not 20 – if they can produce the results you need?

8. Create an employee referral program.

The No. 1 source for successful future employees is current employee referrals.

The number No. 2? Professional recruiters and search consultants.

9. Reward the behavior and results you want to see.

Establish and communicate clear expectations; structure compensation accordingly. People are more willing to commit to a company when expectations and rewards are clear.

10. Resist the urge to hire people like you.

That would be redundant. Best decisions are made with input from various perspectives and abilities, even when they are radically different from your own.

And a bonus:

11. Employ the 1% Rule.

When an employee doesn’t work out, ask yourself: “What part of this failure do I own—even it’s one percent?” Adjust > Get Feedback > Repeat…