Hire smart people, train them properly, then get out of their way

I have spent much of my career expressing complex ideas about leadership in a simple way. For example, when people ask me for advice on the best way to lead, I often answer like this: “Hire smart people, train them properly, then get out of their way.”

Every so often, someone will ask me to expand on that statement. In an attempt to keep it simple, I’ll cover one concept at a time.

Hire smart people

The first thing you need to decide is whether you want to hire winners or potential winners. Winners are rare individuals who already share the vision and values of your company and demonstrate they have the exact skills needed for the position. True winners are hard to find and they cost money, but they tend to be easy to supervise because they mainly need to know what the goals are.

If you are having a hard time finding winners, look for potential winners. These candidates show enthusiasm for the company’s vision and values. They are good communicators who demonstrate confidence in their abilities, an interest in working with others and a passion for learning new skills. During the interview, find out as much about them and their background as you can. Share the details of the open position and include your expectations. It won’t take long before you have a potential winner on your hands.

The way employers handle the first few days and months of a new hire’s experience is crucial to ensuring high retention. Too often, people with excellent skills are hired for a position, taken to their work area (if it has been set up) and then left alone on their first day to figure out for themselves how things are done in their new company. That’s no way to treat someone you want to keep! Once a person is hired and paperwork is done, the organization’s comprehensive onboarding process should begin. SHRM details the three goals of an effective onboarding process and explains that the process can last up to 12 months. Not surprisingly, retention is one of the goals. Most successful organizations know that a motivating environment, an inclusive and empowering culture and continuous opportunities for growth and development are elements that today’s high performers are looking for.

Train them properly

One of the best gifts a leader can give their people is the knowledge that their success, to a great degree, is in their own hands. This is done through self leadership. Effective self leaders accept responsibility for their own circumstances and take the initiative to make things better. How? By helping their manager understand what they need. Here’s how.

1. The self leader gives their manager what the manager needs to be successful. They are responsive in doing the work their manager asks them to do and in volunteering for special projects. They are proactive in trying to anticipate their manager’s needs and help meet them. When things slow down, they ask the manager what else they can do. The right attitude and behavior on this step pave the way for step two.
2. The self leader lets the manager know what they need to be successful in their job. After working with their manager to confirm the manager’s expectations, the self leader states what they will need from the manager in order to succeed. Just like the one-minute manager, the self leader identifies simple, clear one-minute goals for each item they are counting on the manager to deliver, then sets realistic time frames for when those items can be done.
3. The self leader follows up on steps one and two. Doing what they say they will do, when they say they will do it, will build trust with their manager. And, tactfully following up on items the manager agreed to do will help the self leader build the expectation of reciprocity.

When the manager follows through on their commitment, the self leader can give the manager a one-minute praising. Everyone, no matter how old or how high up in an organization, appreciates an acknowledgment of their hard work. It’s human nature. And praising progress is also important—people don’t have to do a perfect job to earn praise.

(Note: If you don’t think your manager/leader needs praise, give them one and watch their reaction!)

Self leaders don’t complain that their manager hasn’t created the perfect working environment for them—they do something about it. They learn how to get what they want from their manager to make things happen for themselves and their team, department or company. People who learn the skills of managing upward will be the ones moving up in today’s organizations.

Get out of their way

The concept of empowering individual contributors so they can run their own race is unfamiliar to many leaders. After all, when team members are such confident high achievers that they can work without supervision, what’s to stop them from taking over and leaving their leader in the dust? 

It’s all about trust. Someone must make the first move to extend trust. Leaders go first.

Trust doesn’t happen by accident. Leaders aren’t automatically trusted just because of their position or title. To build trust in any relationship, one party must make the decision to extend trust in the hope that it will be reciprocated. The truth is that leaders have the responsibility to first extend trust to their people, which in turn allows the leader to demonstrate their own trustworthiness.

I believe everyone is doing the best they can, given their present level of awareness. So I am a fan of leaders who extend trust and respect to people before they’ve really earned it—while they are still making mistakes. After all, you were in on the hiring process and you hired either winners or potential winners, right? If you trust your own judgment, you should trust the people you hire.

As a leader, when you extend trust first, it creates such goodwill that team members will soon begin emulating your behavior by extending trust and respect to others. This behavior often spreads and ultimately creates a companywide culture of caring. And, your best people will stay with the company—because everyone wants to work for an organization where they feel safe, seen, trusted and acknowledged.

So hire winners or potential winners. Train them to be self leaders. Extend trust first so they know you care, and keep the lines of communication open so they know you have their back.

Now get out of their way and watch them soar!