M A Ahsan Usmani’s Post

and use the methods within this book > https://amzn.to/3Abe44K

Hot take: CEO’s are really bad at hiring. I’ve seen it a thousand times. CEO goes out unilaterally and hires someone they think is a good fit for the organization. Shortly thereafter, the hire flames out or doesn’t fit well with the team. I did this a ton myself. I thought I had enough information, I thought I totally understood the problem I was solving for, and I thought I had a good sense of culture fit. The gap widened as our company grew and my ability to fully understand the company’s needs shrunk on any given day if I approached the process unilaterally. Long term, our hires got better as I became a part of the process instead of the entire process. I (and other CEO’s) had to get better and shifting my subjective decision making to objective processes. Our People Team, led by Priscilla Sauceda designed a hiring process that heavily leveraged our core values and placed extra emphasis on defining what success looked like BEFORE we started hiring. 1. We asked all candidates the same questions so we could compare apples to apples. 2. Questions were designed to assess positive and negative core values behavior. 3. Inputs for job descriptions and intended outcomes were solicited from people who would work with and for the candidate to ensure well rounded and accurate role definitions. 4. Our hiring team was made up of people who would work with and potentially for the candidates, not just me. 5. MOST CRITICALLY, when someone didn’t work out, we’d assess why relative to the notes we had about their interview so we could learn and improve steps 1-4. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. The skills that helped me recruit early in our company’s history simply didn’t scale as our business did, and that’s true for most businesses. So take it from me, a recovering CEO. Define your values, describe what success looks like, build a process for hiring, and then trust it & tweak as you learn. Do not go it alone. #hiring #culture

You just closed a round of funding ... considerations for who you hire first. (Have you thought about how your first hires set the tone?) Your next hires aren’t just employees, they’re your foundation. #1: Prioritize hiring leaders who align with your vision. ↳ These are the individuals who will set the bar for performance and culture. #2: Focus on roles that directly impact growth. ↳ Think revenue generators like sales, marketing, or customer success. #3: Look for flexibility and adaptability. ↳ Early-stage growth means wearing multiple hats is a must. Every role you fill at this stage should amplify momentum, not stall it. A misstep now can ripple across your entire business. Choose carefully and intentionally. Have you planned out your first wave of hiring? ----- Fractional People Operations Executive Follow Rebecca Waker for more content like this

I Used to Think Hiring Was Hard, Now I See It as an Opportunity Hiring can be daunting, but it’s also a chance to build a strong, dynamic team. Here are three tips to turn hiring challenges into opportunities: 1. Focus on Cultural Fit: Ensure candidates align with your organization's values and culture. This creates a cohesive team that works well together and shares common goals. 2. Leverage Behavioral Data: Use assessments to understand candidates' strengths and how they complement your existing team. This helps place the right people in the right roles. 3. Prioritize Continuous Development: Invest in training and development for new hires. This not only boosts their skills but also fosters loyalty and long-term growth within your company. Embrace these strategies to transform your hiring process and build a team poised for success. Click here https://bit.ly/3KaVT0w to read the full article. #HiringStrategy #TeamBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment

I Used to Think Hiring Was Hard, Now I See It as an Opportunity Hiring can be daunting, but it’s also a chance to build a strong, dynamic team. Here are three tips to turn hiring challenges into opportunities: 1. Focus on Cultural Fit: Ensure candidates align with your organization's values and culture. This creates a cohesive team that works well together and shares common goals. 2. Leverage Behavioral Data: Use assessments to understand candidates' strengths and how they complement your existing team. This helps place the right people in the right roles. 3. Prioritize Continuous Development: Invest in training and development for new hires. This not only boosts their skills but also fosters loyalty and long-term growth within your company. Embrace these strategies to transform your hiring process and build a team poised for success. Click here https://bit.ly/3KaVT0w to read the full article. #HiringStrategy #TeamBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment

Struggling with the hiring process can feel like trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. But what if I told you there's a simpler way? One that allows you to get the right people, in the right seats, at the right time. Create a defined roadmap for your hiring. This makes it simple, clear, and straightforward. It removes the guesswork. How it works:  Identify what roles will impact your growth effectively.  What you need to hire = well defined roles that align with your strategic growth plan. Determine your metrics for when you will hire each person.  This tells you when it's the perfect moment to bring someone new on board. Decide who you will need to complete your teams.  Attract those candidates or find them where they are...make your company a place they want to work.  And make your whole hiring process simple and efficient.  Hiring and growth doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Or chaotic Or confusing - for you or your new hires. It's about planning ahead, having defined roles, a clear when to hire, knowing who you need to round out or build teams, and a simple and effective hiring process.  So, does refining your hiring process sound like what you’re looking for? Let me know in the comments. Or my DMs are always open for a chat.  #leaders #leadership #hirebetter #hiringprocess #talentroadmap #hirehappy #happyhires #havestrategy

The best hires don’t shy away from doing this ⬇️ Solving the big problems, first. Being strategic means we’re not afraid of dealing with the real issues in business. The best hires gravitate towards these problems rather than avoiding them. Agree? ☑️ Follow me for tips on hiring #bigproblems #problemsolved #toptalent #highperformancehabits #hiringexcellence #hiringcoach #entrepreneurmindset #highperformers #hiringmanagers

Attention Founders, CEOs & Hiring Managers, (what candidates consider when coming to work for you). 9 areas you must be prepared to defend and promote with clarity and confidence! Don't forget to have a real game plan around your "attraction plan" when hiring top talent. All Execs own this! It's not enough to be an AI startup or have some funding. Let's break down what candidates are really looking for: 1) Clear Mission & Vision - purpose & real problem(s) you are solving 2) Unique Value Prop - innovation, cutting-edge tech, forward-thinking 3) Competitive Comp & Benefits - equity, market rate, or better with cash comp to entice top-tier candidates 4) Startup Culture & Lifestyle - dynamic environment, collaborative culture, flexibility on remote, hybrid, or good allure to be in the office 5) Career Growth Opportunities - emphasize growth with performance, mentorship, & more 6) Leadership & Team Dynamics - visionary & selfless leaders, skilled & passionate, with a commitment to DEI 7) Showcase Wins & Real Momentum - customer wins, growth, & line-of-sight on stability & opportunity 8) Candidate Experience - transparent & smooth communication; interviewing should be a story, a cohesive & buttoned-up experience 9) Learning & Development - good candidates are often drawn to opportunities that invest in the growth of their people If you're hiring and need help please hit us up hi@talent-house.co #leadership #hiring #recruitment #gameplan #teambuilding #talenthouse

The hardest lesson I learned as a 𝗖𝗥𝗢... When we first tried scaling, we thought, “More people, bigger results.” Wrong! All we got was more confusion and a mess to clean up. So, we hit pause, took a good hard look, and made some changes: 1️⃣ Get Clear on Roles • Know exactly what skills you need and what kind of people fit your culture. ↳ Don’t try to fit a square peg in a round hole. • Write job descriptions that actually mean something ↳ Not just corporate fluff. 2️⃣ Fix the Hiring Process • Work close with recruiters. ↳ Don’t leave them guessing what you need. • Use interviews that separate the wheat from the chaff ↳ Focus on skills and attitude, not just smooth talkers. 3️⃣ Build Your Bench • Train entry-level hires so they hit the ground running. • Promote from within ↳ Show your team they’ve got a ladder to climb, not a dead end. 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚? Here’s where the rubber meets the road: ↳ Hiring right is just step one. ↳ Hard work is keeping your people happy and growing. 4️⃣ Keep them Around • Build a culture where people want to stick around. ↳ Mentorship, recognition, and room to grow go a long way. • Ask for feedback and actually use it to make onboarding and day-to-day better. 5️⃣ Adapt Along the Way • What works for a team of 10 will fall apart with 50. ↳ Stay flexible and ready to pivot. • Use data to tweak your hiring and retention. ↳ Don’t fly by the seat of your pants. ________________________________________ 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥: Scaling isn’t hiring more people— it’s building a team that’ll go to bat for you. Hire right, create a culture they love, and you’ll have a crew that can weather any storm. What’s been your biggest hurdle in scaling a team? Let’s chew the fat in the comments! 👇 #LeadershipLessons #ScalingTeams #HiringStrategies #WorkCulture #EmployeeRetention #BusinessGrowth #StartupLessons #PeopleManagement #TeamSuccess #ProfessionalDevelopment

If you’re staring at the numbers with more questions than answers, feeling the mounting pressure from your board as 2024 comes to a disappointing close, and convinced that this next hire could make or break everything... 🛑 STOP 🧘 Take a deep breath Remember, you didn’t get here by playing it safe, or following the same tired playbook so many others follow. Don’t start now. A founder recently told me, “We’ve always hired from inside our industry, but the results just aren’t there. Maybe we need to look outside, but what if we screw it up again?” Here's what I know from nearly 3 decades working with founders, CEO's, and executives: 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 Hiring someone who looks perfect on paper but is stuck in the old way of thinking? That’s not going to help you level up. You need someone who’s been through a similar transformation, someone who’s navigated uncharted waters and brought the ship to shore. You’re not stuck because you’re under-resourced. You’re stuck because of who you keep hiring. What to do? Think outside your industry. You might just find the person who can take your team to the next stage of growth. Here’s what to keep in mind as you hire: 👉 Celebrate your differences: Your company is disruptive. Look for leaders who’ve thrived in a similar environment. Not ones locked into outdated models. 👉 Think outside the box: The best candidates might come from adjacent industries. Fresh eyes see opportunities that insiders miss. 👉 Set the bar together: A great leader aligns with your vision and co-creates a roadmap to measurable success. Starting before Day 1. Founders tell me all the time how scary it feels to take a risk on a hire like this. But you know what’s scarier? Staying stuck in the same cycle and expecting different results. If you’re ready to find the sales or CS leader who doesn’t just fit in but transforms your business, let’s talk. Because this isn’t about “just another hire.” It’s about the future you’re building.