The process of hiring executives is unique. You’re looking for someone who can do the job, yes, but you’re also looking for a leader who fits into your organization and will help it grow.
Several of the guests on Season One of The Daily Bolster gave expert advice on how to go about the executive hiring process, from talking to candidates to working with your new hire. Check out these clips we’ve compiled to hear their tips, or click through to listen to entire episodes of wisdom (many of them are only 5 minutes long!).
Who you hire matters
Quick tip: hire people you can trust, who have different strengths than you do
Former Lessonly CEO Max Yoder talks about his experience as a young professional with an unusual career trajectory and what it was like moving straight into the founder role. He shares what he learned about business and himself through the scaling process.
Hire a team that's ready to prove themselves
Quick tip: approach hiring your leadership in phases
Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, shares his journey launching and scaling Gainsight to 1200 employees over 10 years. Nick considers himself a student of the craft of being a CEO, and talks about being values-based from the beginning, the stages of building a leadership team, and why careers are like jungle gyms.
Stay in your lane and interview for values
Quick tip: interview for values, not culture fit, and have lots of eyes on the process
Rory Verrett is the founder and managing partner of Protégé Search, the leading retained search and leadership advisory firm focused on diverse talent. In this episode, he and Matt discuss what it means to look for specific values throughout the interview process, rather than the vague concept of culture fit—an area where CEOs don’t always have the best insight.
Hire a good corporate athlete
Quick tip: hire someone with a background that helps them understand how your business works
In this episode, Fran Hauser shares her passion for helping leaders reflect on their careers and make space for more of what brings them joy. She also talks about the journey to loving her own career, leveling the playing field for women, and the advice she’d give her younger self.
Find talent that's ready to step up
Quick tip: don’t look for someone who already did the job, look for someone who is ready to do it
Nick Francis is the co-founder and CEO of Help Scout. In this episode, he and Matt discuss what it takes to build effective teams and develop leaders with a growth mentality.
Get the most out of your leaders
Quick tip: Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and compare them to those of your new leader
Sarah E. Brown, is the VP of Marketing at Sastrify. In this episode, she talks about how CEOs can get the best from their leadership teams.
Want to keep listening? These episodes are a great place to start:
We'll be back with Season 2 after Labor Day! Don't want to miss an episode? Subscribe to get notified when we return.
