Build the Right Team Around You

We’ve lately been talking a lot about building your team.  Building a team is HARD.  When you are part of a small company, it’s like finding a mate.  It takes a while.  Picked people who share your passion and that you like. The following principles will help you build a team that you can hold onto for the long haul.

(Photo credit: biologycorner)

• Hire enthusiasm over experience. Passionate employees can work in any kind of business. Experienced people may be able to hit the ground running, but they are often set in their ways and won’t innovate.
• Don’t let hiring happen by accident. Put together a legitimate process, and stick to it. Follow the rule of three: meet three candidates, give three interviews, hold interviews in three locations, and let three people interview prospects.
• If you make a bad hire, fix it quickly. Nothing will destroy a well-functioning team faster than someone who doesn’t fit in. That doesn’t mean that you need to hire a “yes man” or “yes woman.” It means that if there is no cultural fit or people can’t meet expectations, they need to go before they poison your culture.
• Personality screening may sound “touchy-feely” and not sit well with business traditionalists, but it is legit. Get objective assessments of people and their communication styles before you bring them on board.

Jamie Troia is President of Greystack Digital Marketing and author of Stern Rules!