| "When the character of a man is not clear to | | | | to submit feedback easily. I know I have been in this |
| you, look at his friends." Japanese Proverb | | | | spot many times. This is when you got someone who |
| After you have made a concentrated effort to | | | | doesn't know the difference. A coder who takes |
| understand as to who you are, you are now ready to | | | | responsibility to make sure that users will be able to |
| go out there and start looking for the right individuals to | | | | submit their feedback easily and quickly would have |
| partner with. This is a critical stage which will have a | | | | approached the project differently. So make sure |
| substantial impact on achieving your goals. Over the | | | | when you are getting a partner who understands the |
| years I have either started or joined many business | | | | bigger picture and is in line with it. |
| teams. There is a mental checklist which I run through | | | | 5. Would you hire the person if it were a hiring |
| when meeting my prospective team mates for the | | | | decision? This question allows you to look at the |
| first time. This check list is made up from my own past | | | | person from a different angle. Given that you know a |
| experiences and also Jim Collins view on who | | | | substantial amount of the person would you hire him |
| "The Right People" (courtesy are. | | | | her? When I get to meet people outside the |
| 1. The person must share the core values of the | | | | workplace say at my squash game or at a charity |
| business or organization. These are the values which | | | | that I volunteer at, you get to know a lot about the |
| determine how the organization interacts, | | | | individual. When I ask myself this question when thinking |
| communicates and operates to reach it goals and | | | | about asking him/her to become a partner with me in |
| objectives. For example there was a charity project | | | | a project it puts things into perspective. You begin to |
| for protecting the environment I was part of during my | | | | look at the individual impartially and can reach a more |
| university days. There was a sales and marketing | | | | informed decision. |
| director who didn't share the fundamental core value | | | | 6. Does the person have a regard for rules, regulations |
| of compassion. He was in fact looking to profit from | | | | and personal boundaries? I have learned this lesson |
| the project. Needless to say he didn't last very long in | | | | the hard way as well. I came across what you call a |
| the team. This just goes to show how important it is | | | | super star performer. He excelled at a lot of the |
| for you to probe and ask whether your prospective | | | | businesses he had been at. So if it were a hiring |
| team mates core values are aligned to ensure that | | | | decision it would have been an easy one. However |
| you are all on the same page and headed for the | | | | after working with him for a while I realized he had the |
| same goal. | | | | sense that he was above any level of authority and |
| 2. The person should not need to be | | | | did things which were ethically questionable when |
| "managed". When building your core team | | | | securing contracts and sales. We started to get |
| you need to find those individuals who are confident in | | | | complaints about his attitude from staff and customers |
| their own abilities. If you are the more experienced | | | | and had to part ways. So when you meet a person |
| partner then most definitely you will provide some | | | | make sure you get a sense of what his point of view |
| guidance along the way. However if you are find | | | | regarding regulations and boundaries are even though |
| yourself molding the individual into what you deem are | | | | everything else may look to be in place. |
| the right behaviors then you have probably made a | | | | 7. Professes a commitment to goals. When you are |
| mistake during selection. These types of individuals | | | | going into business you are looking for people who |
| who require constant support are draining and slowly | | | | share similar levels of commitment as you do to the |
| become huge speed bumps for the organization. Make | | | | project. If you don't pay attention to this aspect you will |
| sure you select those individuals who have shown a | | | | find yourself in an imbalanced partnership which could |
| capacity to operate on their own and have been | | | | result in permanently jeopardizing your project. When |
| successful at doing so. | | | | evaluating prospective partners look at their past |
| 3. The passion to become the best at what they do. | | | | history and whether they were committed to the last |
| There was a IT company which I was a part of a | | | | projects they were on. Ask them about some of the |
| couple of years ago which was developing inventory | | | | big decisions they have had to make. Lastly if you are |
| management systems for the paper industry. Being a | | | | planning to take him/her on as a partner make them |
| startup company we were naturally bootstrapping and | | | | commit to particular goals and objectives and use |
| couldn't hire the best developers. However when filling | | | | them as benchmarks when performance will be |
| a key role for project management lead for the team | | | | appraised. |
| we selected an individual who had shown great | | | | 8. Integrity. This is probably the most critical yet most |
| potential during his university days and had great | | | | elusive quality to immediately identify. A person who |
| passion for his line of work. It worked out really well | | | | has a high level of integrity will be one which will you |
| and the team flourished. So when you are making a | | | | can rely on and grow a successful business with. To |
| key decision and may be limited by budget or | | | | be a good of judge of this characteristic however will |
| geographic boundaries do your best to fill the seat with | | | | take time and experience. I take Jack Welch's advice |
| the person who has show the potential and willingness | | | | here that if your "gut" feeling about |
| to be one of the best in that field. | | | | someone is bad or you don't get the correct vibes |
| 4. Understand the difference between a job and | | | | then it is best to go with that first presumption unless |
| holding a responsibility. This tip has helped me greatly in | | | | you are shown to believe otherwise. |
| making some key decisions in recruiting partners. Say | | | | By running through this checklist I have been able to |
| you are going to be hiring a developer for a new | | | | select business partners with a lot more subjectivity. I |
| website to collect feedback for your product. You get | | | | hope this list helps out anyone who is looking to start |
| the best coder in town to make it for you. He does | | | | up a new project. At the same time if you or anyone |
| what you asked for but users are frustrated because | | | | else has any key characteristics that they would like to |
| the website is difficult to navigate through or impossible | | | | share please do so in the comment section. |