Comments on: Who (and Who Not) to Hire: A Napkin Sketch from Xconomist Bill Aulet http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/ Business + Technology in the Exponential Economy Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:27:07 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Dave Johnson http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/comment-page-1/#comment-7098 Dave Johnson Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:39:38 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/#comment-7098 This is a useful framework, thanks. It contains an issue I have confronted inside several companies, and been thinking about in my own writing. This issue comes in two parts: (1) Bill speaks of the company's values; indeed, this measurement is the lynchpin of his analysis. Can someone comment on a good way for me to be sure that the decisionmaker in his scenario, whether a VP HR or CXO (including me!), isn't conflating their values (or their perception of what the company's values are or should be) with the company's values when they benchmark this decision? (2) In a start-up of 10-35, one can intuit the collective value set. But a company of 125, that's asking too much. So Bill, how might this guidance need to be shaped for (at least) these two very different contexts? Thanks for any feedback. This is a useful framework, thanks. It contains an issue I have confronted inside several companies, and been thinking about in my own writing. This issue comes in two parts:

(1) Bill speaks of the company’s values; indeed, this measurement is the lynchpin of his analysis. Can someone comment on a good way for me to be sure that the decisionmaker in his scenario, whether a VP HR or CXO (including me!), isn’t conflating their values (or their perception of what the company’s values are or should be) with the company’s values when they benchmark this decision?

(2) In a start-up of 10-35, one can intuit the collective value set. But a company of 125, that’s asking too much. So Bill, how might this guidance need to be shaped for (at least) these two very different contexts?

Thanks for any feedback.

]]> By: Steve Marcus http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/comment-page-1/#comment-5344 Steve Marcus Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:01:41 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/#comment-5344 I agree with Bill wholeheartedly. Assessment of values versus contribution get the conversation started. If you don't share at least these two aspects, hearing about how great they are with finance or how they can do stand-up comedy is irrelevant if they're apathetic about the customer and/or their co-workers. In response to a few comments on the definition of company values: Examples of Company Values - Amazon: Customer Obsession, Innovation, Bias for Action, Ownership, High Hiring Bar, Frugality http://www.amazon.com/Company-Values-Products-Careers/b?ie=UTF8&node=14234371 IBM: Dedication to every client's success, Innovation that matters, Trust and personal responsibility http://www.ibm.com/ibm/values/us/ I agree with Bill wholeheartedly. Assessment of values versus contribution get the conversation started. If you don’t share at least these two aspects, hearing about how great they are with finance or how they can do stand-up comedy is irrelevant if they’re apathetic about the customer and/or their co-workers.

In response to a few comments on the definition of company values:

Examples of Company Values -
Amazon:
Customer Obsession, Innovation, Bias for Action, Ownership, High Hiring Bar, Frugality
http://www.amazon.com/Company-Values-Products-Careers/b?ie=UTF8&node=14234371

IBM:
Dedication to every client’s success, Innovation that matters, Trust and personal responsibility
http://www.ibm.com/ibm/values/us/

]]> By: Richard http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/comment-page-1/#comment-5276 Richard Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:24:39 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/#comment-5276 Bill nails it, and not just for startups. Also, I have to figure out how to add this graphic to my resume, with my smiling avatar waving from the upper-right quadrant. Bill nails it, and not just for startups. Also, I have to figure out how to add this graphic to my resume, with my smiling avatar waving from the upper-right quadrant.

]]> By: adTherm http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/comment-page-1/#comment-5214 adTherm Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:51:20 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/#comment-5214 A few thoughts: In which quadrant would creative, dynamic, idea-generators tend to fit? What if they were slightly eccentric, or individualistic? How would you determine whether they truly fit in with a company's core values? A few thoughts:
In which quadrant would creative, dynamic, idea-generators tend to fit?
What if they were slightly eccentric, or individualistic?
How would you determine whether they truly fit in with a company’s core values?

]]> By: tom summit http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/comment-page-1/#comment-5145 tom summit Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:37:07 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/#comment-5145 It seems to me that the headline of this article should be 'Who to keep and who to Fire'. Otherwise I would like to know how you can know a contributor or if one shares the values of the company. I would doubt hiring managers at an early stage start up would agree with advice that recommends hiring a low contributor because they are cheap and then expending extra effort to channel them into productive work. Best startup hiring advice http://blog.pmarca.com/2007/06/how_to_hire_the.html It seems to me that the headline of this article should be ‘Who to keep and who to Fire’. Otherwise I would like to know how you can know a contributor or if one shares the values of the company. I would doubt hiring managers at an early stage start up would agree with advice that recommends hiring a low contributor because they are cheap and then expending extra effort to channel them into productive work.

Best startup hiring advice http://blog.pmarca.com/2007/06/how_to_hire_the.html

]]> By: Nikhil Garg http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/comment-page-1/#comment-5143 Nikhil Garg Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:40:09 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/#comment-5143 Jack Welch talks extensively about a similar framework for thinking about employees in his book Winning. Definitely worth a read if you're interested in this subject. Jack Welch talks extensively about a similar framework for thinking about employees in his book Winning. Definitely worth a read if you’re interested in this subject.

]]> By: Chris Sheehan http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/comment-page-1/#comment-5138 Chris Sheehan Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:02:48 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/2007/12/10/who-and-who-not-to-hire-a-napkin-sketch-from-xconomist-bill-aulet/#comment-5138 Bob, Agree totally with Bill's assessment. Values #1. Regarding a low contributor, one of the keys is to talk to this person early -- don't let the underperformance continue for a long time. Chris Bob,

Agree totally with Bill’s assessment. Values #1. Regarding a low contributor, one of the keys is to talk to this person early — don’t let the underperformance continue for a long time.

Chris

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