Stephen H Baum Leadership

If you have ever been frustrated trying to hire a star to your team, read this and take the lesson home.

DM owns several businesses. He has for years played may unofficial roles beside owner from CEO to COO to chief problem-solver to chief cheerleader strategist. Playing so many roles takes its toll, most powerfully to diminish the time he has to think about the future and instigate real development of the enterprise.

So he decided to recruit a partner, someone who could take a lot of the challenges off his shoulders. Trouble is that, the final candidate rightly worried that joining a small business with a single owner carried the risk of getting sidetracked in her career, having a hard time explaining her achievements if ever they needed to part company. What did he do to address these worries?

He created a “propective resume:” what activities and accomplishments would look like on her resume five years later, what steps her progress would have included (from COO to president of the holding company).

This creative solution led to a conversation that resulted in her joining.

Bosses and senior partners who put themselves in the shoes of the candidate will come up with their own version of this creative solution and be able to recruit the best and brightest. That’s my view, what’s yours?