[August 20, 2021] One of the critical attributes of great leaders is their ability to pick the right people for the right job. Unfortunately, sometimes people are chosen to be senior leaders and who turn out to be spectacular failures. We have all seen examples of CEOs, Presidents, and political leaders who are epic disappointments.
Choosing leaders is not just a difficult task, but new leaders should quickly establish their own teams and staff with those who believe in the organization’s strategy and vision. The success of an organization depends upon the people who are around you. It is not good enough to have the best people, but also those with the right fit; the best is not always the right person.
Being an effective leader also means that there will be some disruptions, so making those new hires happen quickly allows for a clean slate. Taking an aggressive, proactive hiring approach also helps prevent organizational stagnation.
A leader cannot do all the hiring, so recognize that top-notch people doing some of the hirings will typically hire others who are exceptional. Leaders who are not the best often will not hire exceptional employees.
Proactive hiring also means that the leader should contact a network outside the organization that identifies the best talent. Waiting for the need to appear before an executive/employee search begins ensures your organization remains behind the curve.
What are some of the traits to look for in potential hires? Not all traits can be found in their reputations, interviews, or resumes/biographies. Just a few attributes are listed here and reflect my personal bias:
- Positive attitude and sense of humor.
- Ability to “see” outside the obvious.
- Diverse, interesting, creative, and valuable opinions.
- Ability to think quickly and recognize solutions.
- Dedication to one’s family and community.
- Activities outside work.
In the end, a senior leader is responsible for all hires. And, if an employee is not contributing to the organization or creating a toxic environment, swift action must be taken to remove that person from their position (reassign, terminate, transfer, demote). The only wrong decisions are to fail to act or to transfer a problem employee to someone else.
Ensure that the selection of the right people is based on your organizational priorities, not the opinions of others. Ultimately, a leader has the final say and responsibility.
For all those paying attention, #2 is the best, “Ability to “see” outside the obvious.” That is what many leaders cannot do at all. Case in point, look at what US Pres Joe Biden has done (or not done). Message to morons, “You can’t be anti-Trump in everything.”
Another great article from the annals of Gen. Satterfield in his home bunker in the communist state of New Jersey. Wow, New Jersey? Why did you make that your home? I’m thinking you might be trying to change the state from a wussie place to live into something where ordinary Americans would like to live and raise a family. Thanks Gen. S. for your service to our nation.
👍👍👍👍 I agree with you Tom.
What this article is about is much more than making the right hires. It is ultimately about having the right people around you as a leader. Leaders sometimes don’t have the choice in who surrounds them. Then, it is up to that leader to train those around him to make them better employees or staff. That is also what separates the “good” leader from the “great” leader.
Hey, Mr. KIII, haven’t heard from you in a while. Are you still out there protecting American from idiots? Hope so. Thanks.
Yes, have not heard from you in a while. We all want to read another aritcle from you and very very soon. Mr. Kennedy, thank you for what you do to bring reality to America. Your comments are helpful. We would only like to read more.
You got that right. 😊
Clueless Biden couldn’t pick his own son out of a perp lineup.
“3. Diverse, interesting, creative, and valuable opinions. What does this mean? “Diverse” as in different color skin or diverse opinions? Just wondering.
Ability to “see” outside the obvious. General Satterfield, perhaps you could write an article on this topic. I would like to see more. Thank you for consideration. I believe there is a lot more to this…….
Yes, good suggestion Valkerie. I do love this website because I know that the topics chosen will be contemporary and relevant. Let’s see what else Gen. Satterfield has to say about this terrible news coming out of Afghanistan.
Yes, I think we all agree.
Great article, Gen. Satterfield, and timely. We all know that Prez Biden couldn’t even pick his nose, much less good folks to be in senior leadership positions. That is what happens when you listen to the really “smart” people on your staff. That is one of the points that Gen. Satterfield is making here. Pick those around you, yourself (you do the picking, not some HR dept) or your will crash into reality at some point. Biden owns his own catastrophe of the presidency.
…. and this is exactly what Biden did not do when he picked Austin and Milley (two terrible Generals who have failed the American people).
This only show that your Pres. Biden is not a good leader himself. Cheers.
Very true. How in the world could the Sec of Def Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley get up in front of a microphone at a press conference and look like two kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar? Both are a national embarrassment.
If Biden had any guts (which he doesn’t because he is not really the president, someone else is behind the scenes) he would fire both these idiots.
True, Biden is a coward. But he is not in charge. Some is, and America deserves to know who is running the country.
No one is runny the country. That has been obvious for several months now. In fact, I would argue that Biden is just a figurehead just like his VP Harris. BTW, where is the VP. She’s like Waldo, somewhere out there but no one knows where. What’s up with that. Thanks once again, Gen. Satterfield for your spot on article about the basics of senior leadership.
No doubt about this. But what diff does it make? I’m not convinced this is all Biden’s failure.
Yep, fire both these two idiots.
Good comment. 🙏
The two duffesses.