Hiring for culture and performance: getting the right people on your bus

Executive overview

Most companies work hard to hire but not hard enough to remove the wrong people. Cultural cancers and underperformers must be identified and removed immediately — not managed for months.

Great growth requires both: getting the right people in and the wrong people out fast.

Attracting the right candidates

• Your website and marketing materials are decoys — they either pull in or push away the right people.
• Ask: what would this business look like if Richard Branson or Steve Jobs owned it?
• If the rate of change outside exceeds the rate of change inside, the business is failing.
• Use a shotgun approach for volume, then a rifle approach to close on the right hires.

Recruiting bonuses that leverage your best people

• Set a recruiting bonus equal to 50% of the role's annual salary.
• Pay it in five equal annual instalments (months 12, 24, 36, 48, 60), only while both employees remain at the company.
• Your best employees already know the best people at other firms — incentivise them to make introductions.

Group interviews and the vivid vision filter

• Never interview one-on-one; run five or six candidates simultaneously.
• Share your vivid vision before reviewing any resume — ask candidates to submit a three-minute video on how they'd help make it real.
• This polarises: it attracts aligned candidates and naturally repels the wrong ones.
• Look for cultural fit and excitement first; skills come second.

Scorecards over job descriptions

• Job descriptions describe a role; scorecards define the outcomes and track record required.
• Example: instead of "strong competitive swimmer," target "Olympic gold across three strokes, world records."
• Most companies believe they have A and B players; in practice they have B and C players because the bar is too low.
• Every new hire should be better than at least half the existing team.