Rookies to Rockstars Hiring Guide

Did you know that a staggering 70% of small businesses spending goes to labour costs according to Forbes? That's right, seven out of ten dollars spent by small businesses go to paying employees - so it’s pretty important to hire, develop and maintain the right team. A team that isn’t firing on all cylinders is a major roadblock on the path to business growth and personal freedom. Today, we're not just talking about hiring employees; we're diving into the art of transforming your team from mere participants to proactive players in your business's success story. It's about moving beyond the traditional hiring mindset and embracing a strategy that empowers your team and, in turn, propels your business forward. So, buckle up as we explore the nuances of hiring for output versus replacement, debunk the myth of 'set and forget,' and unveil strategies to create a team that's not just on your payroll but truly on your side. Let's turn those statistics around and those payroll dollars a true investment in your future Big Question - Why do some employees thrive and others don't? Heaps of reasons, today we’ll talk about the controllable ones. You can only ever invite someone to come to the party, you can’t make them come. Controllables - how we: Define the role and what we want from it Select the right motivation, skills and personality fit for the role Onboard for the role Explaining Training Integrating the role with the team Develop the roles Business needs change and so do skills as people grow Regular communication about where we’re going Leadership by getting out in front and saying come with me It’s a huge topic, so I’m going to break it down into 5 key points 1.Rethink Hiring: Are You Adding Value or Just Filling a Gap? First things first, why are you hiring someone? Is it to replace an existing role or is it because the business is growing or you want it to grow? These are two totally different types of hires. One is based on maintaining the status quo and the other is about growth or adaptation. Get clear on the reason for the role and half the work is done. Powerful Questions: Do I expect this role to create stability, order or growth in the business? How long do I want this person to stay in the role? What should this role produce? What will change / happen in my business if I hire the right person? How will I know it’s working? Is this role about profit generation or is it a support function (or a mix of both?) Tips: Don't just copy what you do, identify the key work and get rid of the crap before advertising Run a reverse pilot: Consider leaving the role vacant for a defined period of time and see what happens If you need new viewpoints, look for diversity Once you’re clear on what you want, look for attitude / strengths / fit / archetypes Don’t be generic: everyone has a pulse, but you wouldn’t list it on your resume Summary slide Define the role and what you want from it Select the right motivation, skills and personality fit for the role 2.Beyond the Hire: Why 'Set and Forget' Is a Business Trap Ok so you’ve secured your candidate. Great, onto the next thing *wipes hands clean*.... WRONG If you leave them to their own devices, you’ll get their vision for the role and not yours. Work expands to fill time. Most owners fail here because they either don’t know what to do or they move on too quickly and get distracted by a shiny thing. Tips: Don’t mistake experience for onboarded Be clear about what the key expectations of the role are and verify the outputs Culture is “How we do things around here”, this takes time to understand Test what works with the employee; the PD isn’t carved in stone Spend time showing employees where and how to access key information (inc key relationships) 3.Setting the Stage: How Context and Clarity Build Empowered Teams It’s hard to put a jigsaw puzzle together without seeing the box. You can’t show them the box, but at least you can describe the big picture they’re trying to make - that’s context. Concrete makes for a solid foundation - that goes for roles too. Help employees understand with clear, well defined examples of what good looks like. Tidy up the showroom vs We’re having a VIP event in the showroom tonight, make it sparkle Tips: For context use analogies and metaphors to help people understand new concepts. Context - “I’m like an psychologist for your business” For concrete use examples, targets, comparison tables, checklists, frameworks Concrete - “A successful day in your role looks like….” Concrete - “A good accountant files taxes on time, a great accountant makes their client tax plan before it’s time to file” Provide micro-feedback rapidly as well as times to reflect - you don’t ask a dog to sit and then give it a biscuit in 3 weeks. Give everyone the why, what, how, in that order Sometimes the why and what will be all you need Again, Concept & Concrete: we're trying to do this because this and here's where you can find out what to do if you're not sure 4. Connect The Dots: How Empowered Teams Create Owner-Freedom Simply, if you don’t want to be involved in every decision, you need to enable the team to make decisions. If there aren’t lines of communication internally, the responsibility will always be with you. Create a bus route and a city loop in your business. Add trams if you need. Sunbury to Craigieburn station is 90 mins on train Or 35 minutes by car Information flow in your business is no different if you insist on being Southern Cross Station Tips: Define roles and responsibilities clearly, make them public to the team Continually offer up ownership once people have bought in, support their growth Encourage the team to problem solve on their own once they know the Why and What (This includes letting them fail) Your business is a vehicle, you’re the driver. Help the team understand how they fit in with the other parts of the machine. Then you set the direction and steer. Summary Slide Onboard for the role Explaining Training Integrating the role with the team 5. Leading the Charge: Steering Your Team Towards Shared Goals Now that you have a networked team that communicates together, your job is to set the destination and control the narrative. Ask the right questions, entrust capable people to make good decisions with the right information and viewpoints From Rookies to Rockstars: Your Blueprint for Team Transformation Communicate consistently and conduct the orchestra Develop the roles with the business Business needs change and so do skills as people grow Regular communication about where we’re going Leadership by getting out in front and saying come with me