How much leverage could this person generate for the entire team?

Startups exist in a fast paced, fast changing world of extreme uncertainty.

This means that an employee’s ability to do things like handle stress, wear multiple hats, solve problems and energize coworkers is far more valuable than executing formulas on spreadsheets.

And don’t get me wrong. Excel is a wonderful program. But using it is also a technical skill that you can train a drunk monkey to do.

Whereas hiring people who have certain natural talents is what gives your team the most leverage.

The founder at my first startup used to remind us, hire the right person, not the right skills. He told us not to simply select new employees haphazardly, hoping to fill the vacancy quickly so we can get on with business.

Rather, to find people with superpowers. To find people who have talents that can’t be taught.

Does that describe your team? Are you staffing your company with people who meet the technical bar, or people who inspire everyone they encounter to leap over it?

Both are important, but only one creates leverage across the greater team.

Sarah comes to mind, whom our agency hired right out of college. She didn’t know a damn thing about digital marketing. Every other candidate we interviewed had more technical expertise than she did.

But it was clear from the moment you met her. This woman was a force of nature. She was an effervescent ray of sunshine when she walked into the room. She had significant work experience during high school and college. And she had a maturity and empathy that was well beyond her years. We made her an offer on the spot.

Because our founders knew it in their bones. Sarah was a leader of women and men. And leaders inspire people, which improves productivity and raises the tide for all ships. Within days of her starting, she proved everyone right. She learned quickly, asked smart questions, stayed late when needed, bonded with everyone, even created custom branded emojis for our internal messaging app. She even helped us develop an entirely new service offering based on her unique job experience in the fashion industry.

Oh, and within a few months, she also took it upon herself to start leading her own team, without asking for permission or additional payment.

Spreadsheets? Who the hell cares. Sarah brought the light. It’s the great force multiplier of organizational wellbeing. Someone’s ability to energize the team and bring positive energy has a higher value than their specific skills.

The rest can be taught.

Whereas someone with a bad attitude? That can ruin even the most talented employee.

To my old boss’s earlier point, hire the right person, not the right skills.

Find people who bring the soft skills that generate leverage to the entire team.

Find people who know how to execute their work, but who also know how to amplify other people’s work.

Company growth will ensue. 

How many people on your team have talents that can’t be taught?