How to Hire Only the Best Talent in 2014
“He stood there before me, looking like an ordinary tramp.”
That’s how inventor Thomas Edison described his first encounter with Edwin C. Barnes.
It may come as a surprise then that Barnes was hired, and became the highest earning business associate alongside Edison. How did that happen? Well, it’s safe to say that appearance was not the deciding factor. So what was it then?
“There was something in the expression of his face which conveyed the impression that he was determined to get what he had come after,”
Edison further recalls.
This was true! Barnes set his mind on becoming Edison’s business partner before he made the long journey to meet with him in person. Defeat was not an option for him. Barnes had a burning desire and the only way to appease it would be to get the job.
We all know the expression Edison is referring to. We have all crossed paths at some point or another with an individual that was driven by the very same burning desire that earned Barnes the position that he strived for.
That twinkle in their eyes. That confidence in their ability. That gumption in their actions.
When you only hire individuals that convey a burning desire to work with you, they will perform at a level of productivity that exponentially increases your ability to thrive and flourish.
Your company culture must adapt to such highly driven individuals in order to keep that fire inside of them alive. You must allow them enough room to do what they came to do, in their own way, with not much interference.
They have a plan that is unmatched to yours because it is backed by intrinsic motivation to carry out this plan.
We all know Woody Allen as an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, author, playwright, and musician whose career spans more than 50 years. One of his secrets to becoming a successful director is to allow his cast members to do what they do best. He hires only actors and actresses that have a burning desire to perform and then sets them free to do exactly that. Often he wouldn’t even show up on set.
Certainly that seems a bit strange and excessive. However, when you work with individuals that are performing a task on their own accord and regard their work as both meaningful and fulfilling, you can trust that the result is Excellency. These individuals are not motivated by monetary rewards, but rather by the sheer opportunity to do what they love.
Several large corporations are aware of this phenomenon and have built a culture to positively reinforce the burning desire inside their employees. Until recently, Google also used to allow individuals to spend 20% of their time working on side projects. Curiously, that’s how our beloved e-mail exchange platform Gmail was born. (If only Google would start to foster and support their employees’ passion for Internet privacy now…)
A few days ago I received an e-mail from a business partner at 3:30 AM (yes, we are in the same time zone). Later on that day I asked while on the phone with him, “What’s your secret? How do you continue to thrive on 3 hours of sleep?” I expected him to credit one of the usual suspects: coffee, Red Bull, Coke, or well, coke.
“Motivation,” he replied with adrenalin rushing through his veins.
“I love what I do, and get to do what I love every single day. That’s exciting! It keep me going late into the night and wakes me up early in the morning, even on bad days.”
“Wow”, I exclaimed, “this whole Motivation thing sounds horrible.” I hung up the phone and smiled.
I know what he means. He is talking about Purpose. It’s the source of his burning desire and motivation to get what he wants.
Every single pursued purpose on this planet becomes a vehicle of Excellency. And this is why we must encourage those around us to what they love, whether it’s our family, our friends, our colleagues, or job candidates.
If you want to build a kickass company, or embark on an equally ambitious journey, you must surround yourself with such excellent individuals.
Now I wonder, when the next time an individual stands in your office looking like they may not be qualified to work for you on paper, and yet virtually demand a position with that familiar twinkle in their eye, what are you going to do?
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