Hire Fast, Fire Faster

“Having the right people is imperative for a winning team”

-Nathan Jamail, Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author

At first glance “Hire fast, fire faster” might sound harsh, but it is the exact opposite.  It is about being clear and transparent to those we hire and those we currently lead.  As leaders we make bad hires more often than most of us would like to admit.  I believe that a bad hire does not mean they are a bad person, it means it’s just not the right fit for the person or the team.

One of the most common reasons leaders keep a person that is not a good fit is we would rather keep the bad hire than admit we made a mistake, and many times we use excuses to justify our decision.  Another common reason we keep a person who is not a good fit is the amount of work it takes to move someone off the team and we feel we just need a body in the position, rather than the pain of replacing them.  AKA, laziness.

The fact is simple- there is never a good reason to accept a bad decision or a poor fit on our team.  Great leaders are great because they are willing to make the right decision, to do the work, even when it is a hard decision.

I want to share ideas that a leader can do to make sure they keep only the right people on their team.  As we start, know this:  hiring fast and firing faster is the right thing to do for the person hired, the team they lead, the organization and the clients.

1. Don’t sell the job
2. Candid conversations about being the right fit
3. Doing the right thing is more important than being right

Don’t sell the job

Too often the hiring manager is trying to sell a job versus just conducting the interview and trying to understand the candidate.  When interviewing, make sure to ask questions that give you an idea of not just their experience, but focus on their mindset and behaviors too (really, that is even more important than experience in the big picture).  Once you have a good feeling about the person and not just the resume, be clear on the work and requirements of the job and the team culture.

I like to tell my applicants that, “if you are lucky enough to get this job, it will be the hardest you have worked in your life.  I will push you farther than you will want to be pushed.  I will ask you to do things that are outside your comfort level.  In turn, I will commit to giving you everything I can as a leader, just know I expect everything you have as well.  Our mindset here is: it is not that I HAVE to do my job, it is all about how much I CAN do, and being passionate about it.”

You don’t have to have my same expectations, but as leaders we need to let people know what they are signing up for so they are not surprised when they join the team.

Be candid, “It’s about being the right fit”

Many times when a person is newly hired they know, and the leaders know, early on if a person is going to be a good fit or not.  I believe having a conversation about being the right fit is the most important conversation to have, right at the start.   Once again I am going to share how my conversations go, and my intent.  You don’t have to use my words, but I would strongly recommend using the principle.

Prior to hiring a person, I have my “being the right fit” conversation:

I tell the applicant,, “John I think you may be right for our team, but like you, I won’t know for sure until we start working together.  I believe the key for you to be happy at your job, and for us to be successful, we have to make sure we are the best fit for each other.  Here is my ask of you; I want you to tell me as soon as you see something that you don’t like or if something is causing you frustration.  Don’t tell your friends, family, spouse and especially co-workers- because they can’t fix it or help you with it.  I can help you, I will tell you if it is a deal breaker, if maybe it is something small we can change or maybe a misunderstanding.  In return I will do the same for you.  If I see something you are doing that is not in alignment with our culture or my expectations I will tell immediately, no matter how small the issue.  My goals is to help both of us make sure this job is the right fit for you.  My goal is that within 30 to 60 days we will make sure this relationship is going to work.  It benefits both of us to have a fast and clear understanding of where we stand.  This way you don’t stay at a job you don’t like, that will cause you to be unhappy and frustrated, and I as the leader can make the right decisions for the team, the organization and the clients.  I believe people are not bad  people, just sometimes we are “bad fits”.  And ultimately I want you to succeed here, and if not here, I want to help you succeed somewhere else.”

Doing the right thing is more important than being right

There are very few leaders I know that have hired the wrong person more than me, and I feel I am pretty good at interviewing.  But many times we hire the best interviewer or resume’ and not the right person. And then too often leaders don’t move quick enough on bad hiring decisions for many reasons but two of the most common are the ones addressed earlier; they don’t want to admit their mistakes, or it is too much work to move the person out.

The thing is, this is not just about the organization, it is also about the person we hire.  Many people will stay at a job they don’t like or a job they know they are not the right fit because they need the paycheck or the money.  The decision is based on fear and it will cause them to be miserable and unhappy.   I have never seen a person do GREAT work at a job they don’t like or are unhappy doing.  An unhappy employee needs to be changed.  To a different part of the organization, or out of the organization altogether.  It isn’t fair to them, to you, to the company and certainly not to your customers.

One of the hardest parts of being a committed and strong leader is making the right decision, no matter the pressure or immediate consequences.  As a leader I am always working on trying to do the “right thing” versus being right.  The good news is I have been married for 16 years, so I am getting very comfortable at “being wrong”.   

Final Thought

When people hear me say, “hire fast, fire faster”, they initially think it might be mean, but it is not.  I genuinely desire to make sure that people that work for me are happy at their work because there are problems at every organization and no team is perfect, so being in the right job is key for one’s success and happiness.  I would never want any of my four wonderful kids to stay in a bad situation, and I would do anything I could to help them to change their situation and help them find happiness.  If am willing to do that for my kids, then I hope I can do the same for those that I lead.