Ducks in a Row: What Managers Want
by Miki Saxon
Mark Suster is well known in the startup world; he started as an entrepreneur and is now a VC. In a post that ran first at TechCrunch and then at AlwaysOn where I saw it, he talks about the importance of attitude over aptitude in a startup.
Which is ridiculous—not the importance, but the idea that it is somehow more important to a startup.
- Managers fight to hire the best in any given field, whether software developers, engineers, financial types, salespeople, etc.
- Managers want the best and brightest and get very offended when told that that isn’t always the best choice.
- Managers write job descriptions that are laundry wish lists, with little consideration for the real requirements based on the actual work, strengths of the team and room to grow.
- Managers want more years of experience than the subject has been in existence; this is especially true in software development.
- Managers kid themselves that people are portable, like cell phone numbers, and will continue performing at peak levels no matter the management style or culture.
Obviously, not all managers, but too many.
Whether you are hiring for a startup or your company has been around for decades, keep these points in mind:
- Talented people perform best when they are challenged;
- hire what you really need (see number 3 above);
- honestly evaluate the environment you are offering (see number 5 above);
- the more variety in previous jobs the better/faster the learning curve; and
- look for the uncut gems and diamonds, instead of chasing the polished stone that turns out to be faux.
Skills can be learned, but trying to change a person’s MAP is a thankless job, not to mention a losing proposition.
Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zedbee/103147140/
