People I’d Want to Hire

Creating a great group isn’t that tough if you hire right. (The Warm Body Method of Recruiting is the opposite of what I’m talking about.) Here are some traits I look for:

  1. People who are passionately interested in their field
  2. People who know the best people in their business
  3. People who ask, “What do we need to get done today?” before they get to work
  4. People who watch the clock in the morning and get in on time
  5. People who don’t watch the clock at the end of the day
  6. People who are smart (you can teach them anything)
  7. People who are witty (they’re fun to be around)
  8. People who have talents that don’t have anything to do with work
  9. People you can count on
  10. People who say “We” instead of “I”

    11. KnowHR Recommendation: Add HumanMarkets to Your Daily Read

    HumanMarkets, “the intersection of human resources and markets,” is up and running. And it’s off to a great start.

    I’ve added HumanMarkets to my daily read. I’m anticipating some great stuff. The site is written by a senior HR leader who not only is a real pro, but a consummate businessperson. Combining HR and business isn’t an angle I’ve seen out there and the reason that I highly recommend adding the site to your list of leading HR material. (While you’re at it, leave a comment and say hello. Remember what it was like when you first started writing and people left comments? It just takes a second and it means a lot.)

    Here’s a piece that I really liked titled, “That’s What You Are There For.” CLICK [tone]. It’s some killer advice about HR’s obligation. It ends with, “It’s been over 20 years since I made a decision that night. Some have been better than others - most importantly however, I have only a very few times, avoided making some decision.” The lead in is essential reading for all of us in the HR business.

    100 Places to Find Talent

    Where the Talent Is: 100 Sites to Find the Elite in Any-Given-Field by Heather Johnson is plain good. In this down economy, finding great talent is essential. (I have a hunch that there’s going to be a lot of talent movement. Big talent who toil at companies that are not paying out AIP and LTI will have a roving eye.)

    In Praise of Negative Space

    If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water.
    –Ernest Hemingway

    Note to those who edit HR communications: Negative space is as important as material space. Leaving things out is much better writing than throwing in the kitchen sink.

    That is all.

    I’m a Fan of a Little Exclusivity

    Lord, Give Me Patience, But Give It To Me Now
    I’m at a hotel on a famous square in Boston as I write this. I’m sitting in the lobby watching hundreds of people flit this way and that, most of them dressed in Boston Red Sox shirts and caps. And with all this activity and buzz, it’s the quietest it’s been this morning. You see, I just came downstairs from the Concierge Level.

    Quick, Everyone Get on the Plane at the Same Time
    Remember when having frequent flier status meant something? When they called for “Plutonium Status” and it didn’t start a cattle call for very single person on the plane? Or when concierge level meant that you didn’t have to fight like underfed pigeons for the last scrap of bread in the free breakfast line? That’s when a little exclusivity went a long way.

    All Animals are Created Equal, It’s Just That Some Are More Equal Than Others
    Your best people feel the same way. Sure, there are legal and cultural reasons to treat everyone the same. That makes sense for workplace and career elements. You have to. But everyone isn’t the same. Not when it comes to top performers. And, trust me, they want a little exclusivity.

    Exclusive and Elitist Are Not the Same Thing
    I’m not talking about being an elitist. I’m the farthest thing from that. My dad was a Chicago cop, I grew up in a big family, and I feel lucky for everything I get. But I am talking about making distinctions based on performance. It’s what pay-for-performance should make happen. It’s not enough for your high performers to get one percent more than your average performers. It has to be 10 percent, 20 percent, or 100 percent more.

    Know What to Expect and When To Expect It
    Which brings me back to where I am. I don’t consider it a benefit to eat in the concierge lounge when there are more people there than at a Red Sox game. (They had their 400th consecutive sellout last night. A record.) Because I have a certain membership status, I sorta kinda expect that it’s meaningful. If it’s not, I’d just as soon know that. And I’ll pay for my own breakfast that hasn’t been touched and prodded by 50 overanxious people ahead of me in line. And that’s the kind of exclusivity I’m talking about — the kind where you know what to expect and then get it.

    A Little Bonus Thought
    NB: If you’re in the hotel business, charge $5 for the concierge breakfast. That which is offered for free, is valued for free. (And it keeps away the pigeons.)

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