Executive team leaders serve as role models by supporting the company mission, maintaining a high standard of work output, encouraging individual growth and leading the company to success.
A member of an executive team must wear a lot of hats, so business owners should carefully consider who would be a good fit for such a key position. To help, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) reflected on the following question:
“What’s your best advice for how to hire a stellar executive team, and why? What impact will this have as your company grows?”
Here are their top tips for hiring top-tier leadership.
1. Assemble a Group With Unique Superpowers
“To tackle the biggest challenges, assemble a team of leaders who bring their own unique superpower to the table, Avengers-style. While it may sound counterintuitive at first, you need smart leaders who are passionate about their individual contributions just as much as their role within the larger team. They will center teams around your mission and drive the business to new heights.” ~ John Berkowitz, OJO
2. Give Your Team Some Say
“The most straightforward approach to ensure you are hiring the proper individual is to put every candidate on a trial basis for a certain amount of time, such as 30 to 90 days or occasionally even 180 days. Then, it is not simply the manager who should be making the decision; the team they work with must vote for the individual to stay after that trial period.” ~ Kelly Richardson, Infobrandz
3. Find People Who Excel Where You Don’t
“My best advice is to deliberately look for people who are better than you in different areas. Many entrepreneurs let their egos get in the way of hiring people who have different skill sets than they do. This can cause them to miss out on great team members who could help them grow their business. So, be comfortable working with people who are better than you and you’ll build a rock-star team.” ~ Blair Williams, MemberPress
4. Choose Applicants Who Align With Your Management Style
“To hire a stellar executive team, find out if you’ll be a good fit for the applicant. Yes, you need to look at experience and degrees, but it’s also a good idea to see how an applicant prefers to be managed. Ask questions such as, ‘If I were to ask your current boss what your weakness is, what would they say?’ This gives insight into how the applicant interacts with the structure of a company.” ~ Shu Saito, All Filters
5. Look for Motivated Individuals
“Focus on finding the right fit for the role — someone who has the right attitude and the right mindset. Hiring a motivated and driven executive will help propel your company to the next level. As your company grows, it will create a culture of collaboration, innovation and success, helping you reach your goals, make strategic decisions and stay ahead of your competition.” ~ Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
6. Evaluate an Applicant’s Previous Wins
“Accomplishments speak for themselves and give you a thorough assessment of candidates’ skills and personalities. So, evaluate candidates based on the problems they helped solve for previous employers. This will help you find the best fit and put together a solution-oriented team, which in turn fuels your growth.” ~ Chris Klosowski, Easy Digital Downloads
7. Conduct Multiple Interviews
“The key to hiring a top-notch executive team is to have multiple interviews with applicants. An executive position is nothing to take lightly. You need to ensure the person is the right fit for the job and understands their roles and responsibilities. I like having three to four interviews with people I want to promote or hire for executive roles.” ~ John Turner, SeedProd LLC
8. Ask Tough Questions
“When hiring, ask challenging and out-of-the-box questions to penetrate the veneer of textbook answers. Ask questions they may have never considered and put up situations and simulations to analyze their personality, work style and problem-solving abilities. This model will help the team remain focused, proactive and flexible enough to weather tough times and thrive as a company during growth.” ~ Brian David Crane, Spread Great Ideas
9. Look for Experience
“Look for executives who have done the job before. A huge mistake I’ve made is trying to groom someone for the role when they simply weren’t ready. There’s no substitute for a team that knows exactly what needs to be done based on the current size of your company and your goals.” ~ Michael Fellows, Solidity Beginner
10. Consider Promoting Internally
“If you want to hire a stellar executive team, invest in your existing team and promote from within. The people who have been with your company for years can help you more than someone hired from outside. We always look internally when we need a manager or executive and have found great success with this strategy.” ~ Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
11. Search for Candidates Who Have Passion for Your Team
“To hire a stellar executive team, it’s best to look for people who complement your vision for the company and give it their all to make it a reality. So, you don’t just assess potential candidates for skills and personality traits; you should also evaluate why they wish to join your team. To ensure your growth as a company, you have to seek people with the passion and the drive to pursue the vision.” ~ Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
Image: Envato Elements
This article, "Hire the Best Executive Team for Your Business With This Expert Advice" was first published on Small Business Trends