Companies can succeed or fail based not only on revenue but also on the degree to which they are true to their internal culture. Even just one or two bad hires can have an enormous effect on employee morale, productivity, and ultimately, the profits realized. Many people choose to hire for competency over cultural fit. This can be a huge mistake and can be the precisely wrong person to hire. Hiring people because of high competency who have low cultural fit can lead to all types of interpersonal problems with other employees and with management as well. While competency and skills are important, it is important to remember that whoever is hired is someone the employees and management will be spending the majority of their work days around and one bad apple can make the entire operation miserable effecting the ability to create good marketing outcomes due to discordant opinions and approaches within the ranks.

Instead of going just for competency, management should hire employees who understand the cultural environment of the firm. These are employees who can see the bigger picture beyond their own job and who understand how what they do fits into the grander scheme of things. These types of hires are generally also able and willing to be team players and to fit their part of the plan in with the parts others bring to the table. This enables employees to truly aid a business in thriving by Instead, leaders should hire people who see the much bigger picture, and can truly help a company thrive by bringing their career goals into line with the corporation’s values and mission.

Leaders can increase their ability to hire and retain good employees by applying several principles routinely. First they can provide a positive working environment. This is something that comes across during the interview, when the interviewees are speaking with other employees and just through observing the atmosphere of the business. Once hired managers must make sure to recognize the skills and positive behaviors of employees and then reinforce and reward them. Making sure managers engage employees in the business as much as their roles allow and involve them as much as possible in the business culture is also important. Helping them to develop their potential with onsite offsite opportunities will keep employees feeling challenged. Finally making sure to fairly set appropriate goals for employees and evaluate their progress gives employees a sense of if their efforts are being successful.

The first basic premise discussed in chapter 32 is that it is crucial to determine what each employee is good at in order to assign them to most appropriate role within the organization and to make the best use of all of their talents, even those not directly part of their job description. The second principle is that people and assignments must match. When people are given job tasks that match their skill set, frustration may result and sense of self competency may suffer leading to stress. The third principle is to always choose between several candidates. Even if you like the first candidate interviewed, broadening your view of the job and job description through interviewing several candidates who may each be able to do the job as advertised but who each bring a number of additional skills, personality characteristics and interactional qualities will result in the best choice.

The fourth principle is that there no unimportant people decisions so it’s important to take the time to make the best decision possible. First impressions are important but they also only allow you to view the individual for a relatively short period of time when they are on their best behavior. Taking the opportunity to get to know them in alternate settings such as over a meal, during a company event and during casual down time allows you to evaluate the hire as a more complete person as opposed to just a set of skills. The fifth principle is to surround yourself with people who are better and brighter than you. Not only will this benefit your ability to make the best decisions possible it will also allow you to remain challenged and to continue growing and learning throughout your career.

The Sixth principle is that it is important to remember that good people need breathing space. In other words don’t micromanage people who know their job as they will feel you don’t respect their skill, trust them to do their job properly or believe they can make decisions within their job parameters independently. Finally the seventh principle is that integrity is absolutely indispensable. Without integrity none of the other principles matter not will they be priorities as a manager lacking in integrity only is looking for what it takes to make their job easier and less effortful without regard for the rest of the department.