Hiring That Works: How to Build a Team That Fuels Your Business

One of the most critical decisions you’ll ever make is who you hire. But not just any hire. You need the right hire. 

The right employee can elevate your business, help you scale faster, and add long-term value. The wrong hire can cost you.

If you’re not familiar with it already, I’ll tell you this: one of the best investments you can make as an entrepreneur is ensuring you hire employees who are the right fit for your business. Not just someone who can clock in, complete the tasks, and go home, but someone who aligns with your mission, culture, and vision. As I talk about in All In, you can’t build a thriving business without the right team by your side.

Understanding the difference: Skills vs. fit

When you want to hire, you may tend to focus on the job description and skills of a candidate. While skills are undoubtedly important, they’re only one part of the equation. The real question you should be asking is: Is this person going to fit in with my company’s culture, vision, and values?

The skills gap can be taught. You can train someone to become better at what they do. But who they are? That’s much harder to change, if at all.

I’ve seen the most success in my companies when I focus on the importance of building a business around a team that’s aligned with my core values. This doesn’t just mean hiring people who can do a job; it means hiring people who are naturally aligned with your company culture and your long-term vision. That’s how you build a team that works together, innovates together, and let’s face it, increases revenue.

Step 1: Be clear on your core values

Before you even begin your hiring process, it’s essential to define your company’s core values. What principles guide your decisions? What are you trying to achieve in the long term? And what behaviors do you expect from the people who represent your business?

Here are the core values of my company – or as we call them, immutable laws:

1. • We are here to serve. It’s our top priority of priorities.

   • We guide entrepreneurs to experience financial, emotional, personal, peace, and security.

1. • Every product we produce, every service we deliver, and every communication we have is boiled down to the essence without compromising the impact of improving the entrepreneurs’ experience.

• Embrace the whole human. 

1. • We embrace the fullness of everyone by understanding each other personally. We respect our uniqueness and differences.

   • Strive to understand challenges and perspectives before making assumptions.

   • Our individual dreams are encouraged.

   • Our collective diversity of thought and experiences strengthens the company.

1. • Be a champion, cheerleader, and proponent for others. 

   • Small gestures have a big impact.

   • Encourage each other’s strengths and have grace with our mistakes.

   • Be kind and thoughtful when speaking to colleagues and customers.

   • Talk about others as if they are in the room.

1. • We get excited about the possibilities that change and growth bring.

   • What got us here won’t get us to the next level.

1. • All entrepreneurs and teammates are supported and respected – no matter how they identify.

   • We don’t play the “authority through power” game. We live by “be of service”.

   • Strive for gender inclusivity and equity by avoiding stereotyping. (We have more women than men on our team and are thoughtful about that!)

Be crystal clear about your company’s purpose. When your values are clear, you can hire based on alignment. That means that when you bring someone onto your team, they don’t just fit a job description, they align with your vision and dreams.

Ask yourself:

• Does this person have the same values I want my business to represent?

• Do they show a passion for what we do?

• Can they commit to contributing to the long-term goals of the company?

Step 2: Create a strong and clear hiring process

Once you’ve identified your core values, it’s time to put a process in place for finding candidates who align with them. Here’s a quick breakdown of the hiring process that has worked for my company and those I serve:

1. Define the role clearly: Be specific about the tasks, responsibilities, and expected outcomes for the position. But don’t just focus on tasks – make sure the person knows the mission of your company and how their role contributes to that mission.

2. Craft an effective job ad: This is a biggie. I suggest narrowing things down. The overly long descriptions to explain who you are and what you’re looking for can shy potentially great candidates away. Put your punchline at the top that includes your values and the kind of personality you want to hire. Then you can include the tasks. Be honest about the challenges, the growth opportunities, and what you expect from the person who fills the role.

3. Interview with intention: Use behavioral interview questions that will give you insight into how they handle situations that align with your core values.

4. Conduct a trial period: Consider giving candidates a trial period or project to ensure they’re truly the right fit for the role. This is a great way to see if they mesh well with your team and can handle the demands of the job.

Step 3: Remember – hire for innate passion, not perfection

It’s easy to get caught up in finding the “perfect” candidate. But perfection doesn’t exist. Instead, you should hire for potential. Look for candidates who demonstrate a willingness to grow, learn, and adapt.

The right employees aren’t always the ones who have the most experience; they’re the ones who have the right mindset and a growth-oriented attitude. You can teach someone to become a better marketer, accountant, or project manager, but you can’t always teach someone to have the right attitude and work ethic.

The bottom line: Don’t settle for “Good Enough”

When it comes to hiring, don’t settle for “good enough.” As I stress in All In, the success of your business depends on building the right team. Focus on finding employees who not only have the skills but also the passion, drive, and values that align with your company’s mission.

Building a great team doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right approach, the right systems, and a focus on long-term alignment, you can create a team that helps you scale, thrive, and achieve your biggest business goals.

Wishing you health and wealth.

-Mike

PS. The All In Company helps clients hire the right team members by focusing on core values, cultural fit, and a clear hiring process to build a high-performing, aligned workforce that drives business success. You may contact them here: https://theallincompany.com/

Grab a copy of All In HERE. Kiss old-school recruiting goodbye and say hello to a team that creates more profit than ever.