Having the right team means building a community of like-minded people that believe in what you believe. Just as a church is not the place of worship, it is the group of people that believe in a common set of values and beliefs; a company is no different. A company is not the building where the employees work, or the management that drives it, a company is the group of people that share a common set of values and beliefs. Hire people that believe in what you believe and you can create a shared culture that will be driven and supported by your people. Don’t hire skilled people and try to force them into your company culture; hire people that fit into your culture and teach them the skills they need.
Before you can find and hire people that “fit” your organization, you must first know what a good “fit” is. What does your company represent? Why do you do what you do? And what kind of person do you want to attract? Like attracts like…what message are you sending about your company and culture?
Take dating for instance, if you are not looking for monogamy or anything long term, do not be surprised at the people you attract. And most importantly, do not be surprised when they move onto to someone else. There are many different types of relationships and it’s not saying that some are good and some are bad; just different. Consider the relationship that you want to have with your employees (and vice versa). Are you looking for commitment, something short term, involved/not involved? Once you identify what kind of person you are looking for, then you know the right questions to ask and what to look for. And this goes both for the employee and the organization; if an employee is looking for a long-term engagement, don’t interview for seasonal work!
The goal is to find like-minded people that share common goals and beliefs. And this does not mean a lack of diversity, just simply a group of people that can build trust with each other! A Catholic church can have people from many different cultures and backgrounds, but their core beliefs are shared. Diversity brings different points of views to problem solving, a mix of culture and backgrounds, and a good assortment of food at a company potluck. 😉