5 Traits of Great High-Growth Hires

hiringIt can take great teams of great people for high-growth companies to achieve their ambitious goals. But not all great people are created equal. Workers who would be great for a steady, established enterprise aren’t the same ones that would be great for a high-growth company.

Here are five traits I’ve noticed in great high-growth hires.

1. Hacker Behavior

I’m not talking about computer hacking here, but rather the behavior of people who are always trying to do more with less. These are the type of people who start successful companies and help build big businesses out of small ones. They approach growth differently and are always looking for faster, better ways to get their work done, innovate and grow.

2. GRIT

GRIT is a term coined by Paul G. Stoltz, author of GRIT: The New Science of What it Takes to Persevere, Flourish, Succeed. It’s the quality you see in people who go after important goals and do whatever it takes to achieve those goals. People with GRIT don’t give up when they encounter setbacks; instead, they reassess and reroute as needed until they achieve their goals.

In a growth company, rapid change is the norm. There are high highs and low lows. Being able to deal with adversity is a huge component of what makes people successful in these circumstances so they can help the company advance.

3. Self-Awareness

People with self-awareness understand who they are, their strengths and their weaknesses. Employees with self-awareness also understand what’s expected from them on the job and what they need to do to make the most valuable contribution possible to the organization. Then they put that knowledge into action to help your business grow.

4. An Aversion to Interruptions

To grow quickly, companies need to maximize their productivity; for individuals, interruption is the enemy of that productivity. In most workplaces, people are constantly being interrupted with questions and comments from their colleagues. This breaks their concentration and takes them out of their flow.

At BlackbookHR, we believe people should get annoyed when they’re interrupted. It’s better to set specific times for conversations and let people buckle down and work in the zone for extended periods.

5. A Drive to Work Better

Employees who think they can find a way to do whatever they’re doing better and faster, and are always striving to work harder and be stronger, provide the kind of relentless optimization high-growth companies need to get ahead.

When you hire people with these five traits, you’ll see that every week your teams are turning up the dial on sales, operations, marketing, customer success, etc. And that’s how great companies achieve their growth.

Source: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/5-traits-great-high-growth-hires/?extlink=Enterprise2015_GrowthPartner_Q3_PaidMedia_SmartBrief