A small company in any industry needs departments that work closely together to help drive the company forward. That makes it critical to weigh the intangible qualities of personality and style when assembling a team. Factors to include when evaluating or when adding to your current staff should include:
ENERGY AND DRIVE: Look for people who are motivated. Motivation and enthusiasm take precedence over experience. A company will hit obstacles and difficulties, and what determines whether you can recover or not is people’s motivation, passion and their ability to cope with it.
A BIAS TOWARDS ACTION: In small companies, when you’re limited in resources, you want people who are execution-driven. What makes the difference between having a great idea and making it a successful company is the ability to execute those ideas. And the savvy to know when to execute and when to move forward.
COMPATIBILITY: Hire people who are exceptionally smart and exceptionally hard working. But also people who are basically nice, positive and optimistic. It helps you make a place where everyone wants to go to work every day.
INTEGRITY: Look for honest and straightforward people. You create an environment where, if people don’t like something, they come and tell you. That keeps you open to fixing things, and lets you deal with problems before it’s too late.
It’s not brain surgery, but these four factors certainly can make the difference between a happy, successful company and a miserable, mediocre company.
