Here I am talking about myself, as I see things as a business owner and a person who employs people. The last fifteen years of my own business gives me ample insight into the mind of an entrepreneur, the business owner or “the promoters” when it comes to their employees. Honestly, I might have got it wrong, but via my own experiential learning and constant cross exchange of thoughts with peers and successful veterans in the industry more or less we resonate similar sentiments and views when it comes to hiring employees:
1) I am always hiring the nice human: Given an opportunity, I would any day hire the nice human. I would like the nicer human to jump through all the hoops. Chances are that the hired nicer human can also deliver with some patience and training. In short I am not interested in smart alecks at all, unless the Job Description is screaming for a Smart Aleck and my business will crumble if I did not hire Mr. Aleck.
2) I want reassurance that my gut was right: It boils down to my gut feeling, and I hate to be proven wrong. I built up a business through hard work and sheer tenacity, so I have figured out what works in business and what does not. When I hire you I need reassurance that when it comes to humans, I am a good judge. Knowing otherwise, chips away a bit of my self image.
3) I want to be able to trust you: I can write that in bold red letters. I want to trust you. I need to know that I can trust you. That you are loyal and have the best intent towards my organization. I need to know that your are a person high in integrity. All of this sounds old fashioned, but it holds true.
4) I want you to trust me : I have travelled a long and arduous path, and I know the pitfalls and I know what economic cycles can be like. I think and plan much further than one, or two or five years. I am a long term person. What is apparent to you is based on my years of experience. I want you to trust me and my intent. I have your back covered. I will not let you down, but I want you to know that, when I say that, because I mean that.
5) I don’t want you to disturb the applecart: I hired you for something I need a helping hand with, and not for an expose of your co-workers personalities, or professional inadequacies. I have a system in place, and in the end things will reach their logical conclusion.
6) I am not up for drama : I hate to play judge. I don’t want to engage in the spats you are having with fellow colleagues. I hired a matured professional and not a hysterical drama queen. Go sort your differences and get along, let me handle my own stuff, I have a plateful too, even while you imagine that life is easy for me.
7) When you leave a part of me still cringes : I might be a 10 employee company or a 10,000 employees organization, when you leave ( especially when I know you by face), I still cringe. I am only human and it still feels like personal rejection.
8) I care about what you do outside the office time: Given todays time and age social media and smart phones inadvertently throw light upon who you are outside the place of work. I try to keep any social bias out of the way, but it does colour my opinion this way or that. Sometimes I wish I know you only as the person I hired – reliable, stable and mature.
9) Don’t mess with my old favourites : I have my fav people dotted in the organization. They are there and reaping the rewards for the loyalty and trust reposed in me when I started out in the garage. They stood by me through thick and thin. They are my forever people. Don’t come between us. Their competence or intelligence has no relevance, go mind your own business. To my mind they are the best. Be thankful to them who helped me build this organization, or you would not be here at all.
10) I choose to ignore most of the times, but when I wake up hell will break loose : I developed the virtue of patience because I learnt results take time. Even if in the know, I will ignore transgressions and act as if nothing happened ( even when angry), until one day I become the bull in the China shop. Don’t get me there.
As a sensitive and feeling human being for me classic sterling values of hard work, honesty and integrity hold good. I know no other way of doing good business.