In the video, Mr. Schmidt asserts that
you can build a culture based on the kind of people you hire. I think this is
an accurate statement. If you surround yourself with capable, positive people,
your organization runs smoothly. You are there to provide overall guidance and
assist when necessary, but most of the time, your employees can handle things
on their own. Patel (2013) says that hiring just one wrong person can send your
entire culture and organization into a spin. To me, this is akin to having a classroom
full of motivated, intelligent students and then, in walks the behavior problem
and the entire mood and atmosphere of your classroom changes for the worse.
Patel (2013) suggests that there are certain things you do and certain traits
to look for when hiring employees. He says to hire people that are smarter than
you. He is not necessarily referring to overall intelligence, but rather
specific knowledge about the area that you are hiring for. Obviously, if I am
looking for a trainer or web designer, I do not want someone who has little
experience in these areas and is looking to me to help them grow and learn.
(although the organization will help them grow and learn…but they need
to be smart in this area from the beginning) Second, Patel (2013) says that you
should hire people that are hungry. People who are already successful and are
just bouncing from one big title to another are not as likely to get their
hands dirty and do whatever it takes to make your organization successful. That
is not always true, but it makes sense. Just by doing these two things, you set
the foundation for a desirable culture like that of Google.
I believe that the people working with me
fall into the “right people” category with the exception of a scarce few. Those
who do not fit in quickly find they are being escorted to the door. Everyone I
work with knows his/her job well and has a positive, adaptive attitude. Because
of that, it is always scary to hire a new person. I would be very interested to
hear your thoughts on the hiring process because people can look great on paper
and they can answer the questions you ask all day long, but how do you really
know that a particular individual will fit into the culture of your
organization?
It takes a great amount of courage as a
leader to operate under the premise that if you hire the right people, they
will not need you. Turning over control of your business to others definitely
requires a high level of trust in those that work for you. Some leaders are
micromanagers and are unable to fathom an environment like this; however,
employees would love it. Nobody likes someone hovering over her all the time
telling her how to do her job and then making sure she does it the way the
manager wants.
This approach will not work for everyone.
During the hiring process, it is essential that the leader be able to weed out
those who will not fit into the desired environment. Yet it is equally
important to hire competent and knowledgeable employees. Finally, in the end,
it is leadership who sets the tone for a successful organization and an
effective culture. Besson (n.d.) provides five strategies a leader can use that
are likely to create a desirable culture: articulate a clear mission and walk
the talk; build a strategic plan that everyone understands and stands behind;
communicate with your employees; be flexible; and have fun. While these strategies
cannot guarantee success, they have certainly been proven to lead to it more
often than not.
As for takeaways, this chapter has made
me think more critically about the hiring process in general as well as the
empowerment of employees. I would like to learn more about hiring employees. I
have been asked to sit on several hiring committees since I have been at WW and
the questions seem random and it generally seems as though most prospective
hires answer the questions suitably. So how can you be sure you are hiring the
right person?
As an employee, I know that I have the
knowledge to do my job well and appreciate the fact that management will let me
do that for the most part. However, when she does look over my shoulder and
micromanage, I feel resentful and have learned that that is not the type of
manager I would like to be. If I surround myself with the right people, I do
not have to be.
References:
Besson, T. (n.d.). Keys to a great corporate
culture:improving . Retrieved from http://www.careercast.com/career-news/keys-great-corporate-culture-improving-employee-engagement
Patel, N. (2013, April 15). How to hire: 6 traits every employee must
have. Retrieved from http://www.quicksprout.com/2013/04/15/how-to-hire-6-traits-every-employee-should-have/
Schmidt, E. (Performer). (2011, May ).
Eric Schmidt on business culture technology and social issues [Web Video].
Retrieved from
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/strategy/eric_schmidt_on_business_culture_technology_and_social_issues
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