If you’ve been with me for any amount of time, you know I am a firm believer in systems that bring automation to your business. Templated emails, repeatable worksheets for your product or service development and marketing, and so on. As your revenue increases, so do your growth opportunities. Hiring is one of them. Are you prepared for that leap?
Why Shouldn’t You Hire?
Hiring well is an art. Asking the right questions doesn’t always cut it. In the age of information, people with no intentions of being good employees are getting better at answering the questions the right way.
You have to find a system that illuminates their strengths, goals, common beliefs, and motivations in order to be a good boss to them and keep them shining in their role.
A misconception among leadership in the workforce is that good pay keeps employees. Why are you in business? Money takes time to acquire, but you’re willing to go the distance because you know the impact you’re going to make is of the greatest value to you. Money helps bring your dream to life.
Your new team members feel the same. They need fulfillment in their role. There are so many ways to make them feel like a valuable part of a worthy cause bigger than themselves in addition to fair pay.
As we’ve seen during the pandemic, some people were devastated to leave low-paying jobs that they absolutely loved while others couldn’t bring themselves to go back to 6-figure salaries because of toxic environments.
You should expect to invest some time in your team’s new additions, especially if you’re new to this type of leadership. Your employee or contractor will need to learn the ins and outs of your business. The more questions they have, the more potential value they can bring to your business.
Not having time to answer their questions and make sure you both are on the same page blurs communication which can cause frustration, tension, wasted time, and money further down the line. I trust you to accept wisdom and take the initiative to be a good leader. Further down, I’ll share some tips to improve this process.
If you think hiring is not the right move at the moment, there is some underlying reason you’re wanting a major change. If it’s because of burnout or feeling lost, you could be feeling lonely in your business. In that case, the more simple and effective solution would be to join a community of like-minded CEOs building high-impact, purpose-driven legacy brands.
Why should you hire?
I often hear intermediate business owners say they want to hire to free up their time. Time is the most valuable currency you can’t get back, so this is smart in theory. However, if these are your first hires, saving you time isn’t enough. I would dare to say it’s not wise to pay anyone on a consistent basis that isn’t bringing you a return on your investment. They’re a liability, not an asset to your business.
There are some roles that take some time to bring a return on investment. You should be aware and able to plan accordingly.
Money aside, there are pressing reasons to take a step out and grow your team such as burnout, inability to grow, and reduction in the quality of the experience you provide.
You built your business in alignment with your purpose; therefore your hires need to be in alignment with your purpose and your vision. They should have some sort of soul connection with your cause. This adds joy, purpose, and motivation that you can’t teach. If they’re on fire for your mission for their own reasons, they will do what it takes to deliver high-quality service.
How to hire.
Hiring wrong can damage your finances, emotional health, and reputation. Investing in help throughout your hiring process is literal self-care, I promise. There are a couple of things I would recommend to ease the process.
First, talk to your coach. I invite my tribe to talk through these types of decisions with me. This is a vital area to have a serious conversation. Receiving mentorship on this topic can be really beneficial in a group setting because you get to hear other experiences and feedback.
Another option is to hire an Online Business Manager aka an OBM. They can help you set up a team project management system like Honeybook or Slack in order to keep everyone’s expectations and responsibilities clear and organized. Additionally, they can help you develop hire and fire protocols to set you up for success, and be prepared to gracefully handle the worst. When looking for your OBM, be sure to not only ask the right questions but pay attention to the questions they ask you. Don’t be afraid to ask your fellow business owners if they know anyone.
Hiring isn’t for everyone. It should feel aligned. Who and how you hire is about your goals, beliefs, and divine timing. Click here to join me and my tribe as we continue to seek wisdom, abundance, and joy in our CEO lifestyle.