The Problem with Hiring People Who Are Just Like You

• April 8, 2019

Many company owners, managers, and executives make the mistake of hiring people who are just like they are, or putting together teams of similarly minded people. Software engineers tend to like to work with other software engineers, for example, and people who launched businesses by selling assertively tend to hire assertive sales professionals. As a result, their organizations fail to have the balance that they need for peak performance.

Instead, take a look at what’s happening within your organization. As you look at your team, do you see people who are doing only what they are required to do, rather than what they love to do and at which they excel? If that is the case, your company, as well as your team, could be better served if you recruited a mix of people who together provided all the skills necessary.

Imagine that your business is like a symphony orchestra. Now imagine your orchestra is made up only of musicians who can play strings and tympani. What kind of music will it make? Granted, it might sound okay, but it will not make beautiful music. A full symphony orchestra usually has a group of musicians who play more than 13 different instruments, not just one or two. And chances are that your organization needs people who can perform a dozen or more specific roles.

When considering your business teams, think of yourself as a conductor who, with the right mix of ingaged people and a beautiful score, can achieve brilliant success.