Counting the Cost for Hiring the Right Staff
“And whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be My disciple.” – Luke 14:28
Do you have the right people on your team? What is the key to hiring the right staff? What lessons can we learn from Jesus?
Most people in the business world are familiar with the phrase “you must have the right people on the bus.” This statement, made by Jim Collins in his bestselling book “Good to Great,” is one the keys to transforming a good company into a great company. As familiar as we are with this quote very few of us have the courage to practice it. The key to having the right people on the bus is to have the courage to drive the bus alone if necessary. Until you are willing to walk alone you will never build a great staff because you will compromise to make sure someone is walking with you. Great leaders demand greatness of others and are unwilling to sacrifice it just to have a crowd with them. This was the key to Jesus’ ability to build the greatest franchise on earth: His church. How do you model Jesus in recruiting for your own organization? There are five basic principles to recruiting a devoted staff. However, before going over those principles let us first discuss the don’ts:
- Never use compensation and benefits as the primary draw because its growing appetite will never be satisfied.
- Do not demand of your staff something you are not willing to model yourself.
- Do not be afraid to reward you team generously but don’t be manipulative. Give rewards out of love based on performance and results.
The five principles for recruiting an effective staff are:
- Calling – does this job fit in God’s overall purpose for his or her life? Make sure people are joining your organization out of a sense of calling, not primarily by his or her need for the job or compensation.
- Character – does he or she have the morals and integrity that align with your values? Character is king and without it there is no foundation upon which to build. This unfortunately does not automatically come with salvation. Do not confuse being a Christian with having character.
- Competence – are they qualified for the position? No matter how great his or her character may be he or she must be competent. You can teach some skills but they must have the basic ingredients.
- Aptitude – do they have the ability to grow with the position and the organization? Consider your vision. Where will you be in seven to ten years? Can this person grow with you?
- Culture – Can they adhere to your values and keep up with the pace of the organization? The wrong hiring decision can damage a corporate culture but the right hire can enhance it. Your culture is your DNA, it makes up the soul of the company. It is the combination of all the intangibles that makes up who you really are. Can this person fit in? This requires great discernment and the input of other key stakeholders based on the position. Get this one wrong and nothing else matters.
Why did Jesus raise the bar so high to join His organization? Because He was committed to finishing His mission and the last thing He needed was someone on His team who did not have the courage to go all the way. When joining an organization most people are blinded by the possibilities of what it can do for them. They do not truly count the cost. They don’t truly consider the sacrifice that must be paid in order to enjoy its promised rewards. Out of fear of going at it alone, many kingdom entrepreneurs lower their standards so others can join but what they do not realize is that the price of greatness cannot be bargained. All great individuals and organizations endured a challenging and difficult path. Attempting to make the path smooth through artificial means only leads to mediocrity and disappointment. The only way to make the path smooth is to select the right people and prepare them to successfully embrace and overcome the challenges.
My prayer for you today is that God will give you the grace to recruit and maintain the right staff even at the expense of going at it alone.
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