Have you ever received one of those nostalgic books that take you back in time to see what was happening the year you were born, the year you graduated, or another memorable year in time?  The book I came across recently was published the year I was born. You can send your guess on what year I was born to careergoals@flccmail.com.  Here are some hints:

• The Arab-Israeli Six Day War was waged, leading to a decisive victory by Israel, which occupies Sinai and West Jerusalem.
• Muhammad Ali is stripped of his heavyweight title for refusing induction into the U.S. Army.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup and Jack Nicklaus the US Open.
• They did not award a Nobel Peace prize. (Yes, it existed back then).
• Life Expectancy was 70.2 years.
• Average US rent was $125/month. The Beatles topped the charts with All You Need is Love

When this blog is published, voting will be done for 2020.  Hopefully, the election will be over and we know who is leading our country into the next four years.  What caught my attention with the nostalgia book was that much of the history mentioned in the book includes a past that we may wish to forget—and yet, it nevertheless paved the way for where we are today.

When discussing nostalgia in a company with the company’s stakeholders they talk about:

• Who joined or left the company over time
• What projects they completed or were working on
• Where their offices were located and what the decor was like
• An award they received or event in which they participated
• Business challenges

So often, stakeholders talk about the tough times and don’t adequately emphasize how far they have come with the structure they now have in place to attract top talent, select clientele, and provide the expertise they do today in their area of specialty.  We find that many are burdened by the past, which makes them watchful of future decisions that would prohibit growth of the business itself despite growth in sales.

Being an employer myself, the biggest challenge we typically have is not with the vision to grow our company.  Rather, it is execution that is difficult, as we can’t do it on our own.  We need the right hires in place to work for the company.  If all our employees strictly work in the company doing tasks to fulfil project needs, who do we have to help the CEO deliver his vision?

Since most companies cannot afford to hire people who strictly plan and manage without being involved with the execution, the importance of hiring people able and willing to be “doer-leaders” is crucial.

How do you hire those people?

1. Ask candidates for examples of their participation with business growth strategy projects like planning sessions, compiling projects and business plans, or participating on a committee.
2. Ask for references who will explain your candidate’s role, and the initiatives for which he was responsible, beyond the mere management of construction projects or tasks.
3. Prepare an assessment on writing an SOP or project plan as part of the interview process

If you have already been through the process of growing your company from a circle of a few people that do everything to a team led by doer leaders, you know that once you make the investment in right hires, you spend more time looking into the future than looking back.  The right hires are not only excited about helping you at the business, they are motivated by the prospect of helping you with the business. These doer leaders initiate growth strategies with little oversight from you, other than approvals on milestones. They make it easy with their attention to detail and communication skills that keep you informed.

As we look back at 2020, as a year of challenges, you may also look forward to the innovation brought forth this annum.  If you don’t have the right people in place to help drive your business forward or you don’t see your wins for yourself, we are always a phone call away.  We will help you.

The Best is Yet to Come!

Suzanne Breistol