Why growing teams should hire Swiss Army knives
Why is it that a Swiss Army knife is so fascinating as a seven year old? One minute I'm carving a stick, and boom–you need to crack open a bottle of root beer? I got you covered man. One could say its primary function is a knife (obviously, it is in the name). But it is capable of so much.
Over my career, I've had the privilege of hiring great people, growing teams and leaders in the process. When you're a team of 3 or 4, your needs look a lot different than when you're 100, 200, 500 or more. A small team requires people to wear a few hats. And by that I don't mean to make people do 3 jobs and pay them for one. It means that there will be things that need to get done, and a team of smart, skilled people naturally jump in to get the job done.
In the hiring process, of course I'm interested in the core set of skills to excel in the role. But I'm also interested what other capabilities they bring to the team. And when you set people loose to be creative, you're allowing them to fine-tune in the areas where they are passionate. A job description is just a starting template. Don't stop there.
In this state, you need to do three things as a leader:
Encourage innovation
Provide clarity
Reward freely
Encourage Innovation
When you set people free as a small team to stretch their skills, the tendency is to try to control what you thought the role should be. Did you hire a copywriter but noticed they're really good at bringing structure to the team? Or you hired a social media coordinator and you see that they are pretty good at video production? Don't stifle these passions. Figure out how to release them.
Provide Clarity
When you have people with Swiss-Army-knife-like capabilities, what can happen over time is that they wake up with ownership of so many things. And in my experience these team members love this opportunity, but without role clarity it can become frustrating not knowing what the win is. Be specific what your expectations are and what you consider a win.
Reward Freely
In seasons of growth, a lot of coaching is required to help team members realize their full potential. And part of that potential may mean that they stop doing that thing you hired them for, and you allow them to succeed in the areas in which they are demonstrating great passion and skill. I've hired someone to build emails and lead social that went on to ultimately be Creative Director. One team member was hired to oversee copywriters but excelled at technology and quality control. He now leads all MarTech and is the gatekeeper for quality control when we communicate to hundreds of millions of people. Reward people by helping them move toward their sweet-spot on the team.
Don't stifle these passions. Figure out how to release them.
Leaders, it has to start with hiring smart people with a passion for what you do. Provide coaching as you encourage and set them free to innovate, giving clarity as they go, and reward them freely. Ultimately, as a leader entrusted to care for your team, the most fun you can have is to see people thrive doing things they love to do, and growing each step of the way. People are capable of so much.