Brain Breach

One of the first lessons Lawson Barttell, my mentor taught me was to “hire slow, and fire fast”. What does it mean? Take time on the hiring process and make sure you have the right person. Then secondly fire employees quickly if they give you good reason. The ability to fire folks quickly is a good one to have. It’s one way to save a company from corporate cancer; a non-motivated workforce.

I see two main benefits to hiring slow and firing fast. First, your team quality increases. If you continually shave off your bottom 10%, while hiring the best candidates, your team will really shine. Some of my best employees have come from word of mouth. I wouldn’t be able to say that if below average employees were sending their friends my way. They would be on the same level because folks usually have friends that are similar to themselves.

Secondly, everyone knows you expect excellence, and won’t settle for half-hearted attempts. Fire that deserving employee, and just watch the passions in the workplace grow. Down the road it will lead a higher retention rate.

While this is counter-intuitive and seemingly unproductive in some circles, I try desperately to live it. There are even personal benefits to living this selfless mantra. Think of it this way: how does one climb the social latter? By making others feel special, wanted, liked, important. Now I consider that a lucky side-effect, and not the reason to consider others better.

This mind-frame is difficult, and something I must practice whenever I remember. I find it especially difficult with people that are pompous. Imagine looking at the person checking your food out at the store: he/she probably doesn’t have a great education; I am better paid; I am dressed better and maybe better spoken, yet, they are better than me!

Sure they are better than me. How do I get in this mind-set without just lying to myself? Those are all outward appearances, and I really have no idea what they are capable of. John H. Johnson started with nothing, as did many other business greats. I consider the person in question either better than me at what they are currently doing, and therefore fulling their duty, or, consider them an dormant seedpod, who will hopefully find their inspiration and direction and become great.

Now look how I can treat this person. With the same respect I would give an admired or wealthy personality.

I want to build a team of greats, so I will treat them as such.

ps. Sorry to all the great people I have fired. You will be great for someone else ;)