7/6/13

Hire For Fit: #Blog4BIz Day 6

#Blog4Biz Day 6: If you could hire anyone, who would it be?

Today's challenge has me dreaming about the type of staff I would hire if money was no object. I have been reading a lot about hiring  for cultural fit as much as, or even over, hiring for qualification. Dan Schwabel, a Generation Y researcher and consultant gives a few reasons for it on his blog. Research shows that hiring for cultural fit is more important. This blog post shows that Generation Y prioritizes meaningful work over pay and what we could learn from that.


This preference isn't necessarily only found in those born between 1982 and 2002. I believe it is the heart felt cry of every worker to do a job they love in an environment that supports and develops them. As I mentioned in my Day 3 post, I never thought of myself as the typical entrepreneur. But I longed to be a difference maker. One way to do that is by having the ability to give someone a job.

Today's challenge allows me to dream beyond all the current constraints of owning a business to visualize the possibilities of how my organization might make a difference in the lives my employees.

If money was no issue, I would go on a hiring frenzy because I have always wanted to give people a chance at doing what they love..or think they love to do, make a good wage doing it, and know they are cared about.

I would hire the typical support staff: Sales, Marketing, Accounting, HR, Legal, Operations, IT, etc. In addition I would also hire training and development professional who can train, facilitate, coach, mange and grow a LMS (Learning Management System) etc. 

More important to me than all of that is how I'd hire.

Every employee who works for BRAVE Communication LLC would have to make the commitment to becoming a physical embodiment of my BRAVE Communicator brand. My company is all about people skills so what does it look like if my employees exhibit horrid communication skills?!?


Zumba Fitness LLC proves that this works. Zumba (R) has revolutionized the fitness industry not just because they brought a fun dance workout, but because they capitalized on the passion of their students and provided a path for students to become instructors. 

When the students are passionate about the program they do, it is not a hard sell to ask them to become instructors. Likewise, when people already have an affinity for communication skill development, sales people can sell it with conviction; marketing people can find new and creative ways to reach the market; and legal people will find ways to safeguard, protect, and forge pathways. etc.

Everyone who works for me would naturally take and commit to demonstrating the skills learned in the BRAVECommunicators series of skill development workshops:

Listen/Respect
Trust Building
Confrontation
Manage Stress and Burnout
Stop Stinkin Thinkin (TM)
Value Differences (TM)

These skill building training sessions and their respective practice labs build the key skills and reinforce key concepts of what it means to be a BRAVECommunicator.

I know that people who make a commitment to demonstrating the listening skills, trust building skills, confrontation skills, and personal management skills are people I want in my company. From the custodian to the highest levels of management, I would hire for company culture. 

I strongly believe in people development. Since my business is all about helping other businesses develop their talent, my internal talent development practices would be unprecedented.

Imagine a workplace where people know they aren't just  a number, but a community partner. Where people are fiercely loyal, dynamically engaged, and unbelievably productive. Where people love coming to work because it doesn't seem or feel like work. Where while in the process of doing your work, you heal from past employer/coworker abuse and misuse. Who wouldn't want to work there? This is the type of culture I would want to build.

So for me, who I would hire isn't as important as I how I would hire and personally invest in their growth and development. 


The Living BRAVE blog re-launches on Aug 1, 2013. During July, however, I accepted the #Blog4Biz daily business blogging challenge. The challenge is designed to help business owners focus on certain aspects of blogging that will expand their skill, boost creativity, and focus their message. Initially, I wasn't going to publicly share my posts, but as I started writing these posts, I saw the value in sharing...and some of this stuff is really good!  If you want to join the challenge, click here.
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