The single most important factor in running a great business is having the right people in the right places. But in order for that to happen, you have to begin by hiring great people.
The following are some of the characteristics that great people possess, which we look for when our company is in the hiring process.
Integrity
Integrity is simply being able to tell the truth in a timely manner. People with integrity address mistakes immediately so that they can be resolved quickly. They follow the rules no matter what someone else may be doing and are able to stay on the high road even though others may be gaining unfair advantages by doing things the wrong way.
Being able to determine whether a candidate has integrity can be challenging. The best way to measure a person’s integrity is by either having direct knowledge of their history or by having someone in your confidence who knows their history. Sometimes, you know that a person has integrity by their manner — and your own feelings toward that individual. Usually, however, the ability to recognize integrity is a skill that is developed after many years of hiring people.
Intelligence
My own definition of intelligence does not include a college degree or certificate from a prominent university. I personally learned more as a boilermaker working in the field than from any college course I could have taken. Some of the most intelligent people I have ever met worked right beside me as either craft laborers or foremen in the field.
Intelligence is important in selecting great people but should not be the biggest determining factor.
Positive attitude
One of my practices around our office and in the field is something I learned from a seminar I attended by former U.S. Congressman Ed Foreman. It is based on 12 principles of positive thinking. The principle that I probably use the most is "how to make every day a terrific day." When someone asks how I’m doing, I respond with a resounding "TERRIFIC!" — no matter how I think the day is going. By hiring personnel who have a positive attitude and surrounding them with others with a positive attitude, it creates a positive atmosphere in the workplace. While possessing a positive attitude is only part of the equation, the ability to energize others with a positive attitude should also be a criteria for hiring great people.
Organization
Being organized is a must for a great employee. Organized people can do more with fewer mistakes, which saves time and money. It can be hard to tell if someone is organized during the interview process. Candidates are usually dressed well and are neatly groomed, so they may look good in the moment; but do they really live that way? One of the tricks I use on a potential employee is to set up the interview just before lunch. Then at lunchtime, I ask them to take me to lunch in their car. It is very easy to tell how organized someone is when you hop into their vehicle.
Resilience
Last but not least is resilience, or the ability to pick oneself back up after a mistake and the ability to learn from that mistake. It is also the quality of being able to regroup with positive energy and a good attitude.
Looking for personnel who have had tough experiences in life but overcame them is a good trait that falls under the resilience category. Personnel who possess the character trait of resilience can make for great future leaders within the company.
Exceptional leaders hire great people
Integrity, intelligence, positive attitude, organization and resilience are just a few key traits to look for when hiring great people for your company. But the real trick to having outstanding individuals in your company is by already having exceptional leaders to hire those personnel.
For more information, visit tf-companies.com, contact Whitney Strickland at (281) 506-7152 or email wstrickland@tf-companies.com.
