Invest in Others’ Dreams While They Work Within Yours

Finding, attracting and retaining great people is the most important role of a visionary. To be the best, we must attract the best.

It was two days after Christmas, and I was on the phone with a friend that I was trying to recruit to join my team. He had all the abilities that we needed. We were on the front conversations of scaling as an organization and needed a process person to help us get “there.”

So, I offered him the job.

He accepted.

We agreed on a specific computer to order, negotiated the salary, where he wanted his gym membership and were even looking at new office chairs for his desk. I was dreaming about how the new year would be different, growth was happening and I had secured the talent just like Nick Saban does for Alabama’s football team.

Then I got the call. The other end of the phone seemed like a different tone. He told me he wasn’t going to join our team after all. His current work gave him an opportunity that he could not pass up.

I had him. He was all in.

Then I lost him.

Since that moment, I have racked my brain about what I could have done different.

Why wouldn’t he want to join this vision? Why wouldn’t everyone want to join this vision?

I have realized a series of things that are reframing how I invite people into the story of our organization:

1. My story is not everyone else’s calling. As much as I think the vision I am pursuing is the most exciting story in the world and everyone ought to be a part of it, its not the only great story in the world. Committed individuals must sacrifice to join this story (as I have done), which results in a more dedicated commitment for the time they are with the team. Its ok if people don’t want to join our team, because we are not for everyone.

2. Encourage learning through contribution. My new assumption is that any person that works for me is on the path toward something more in line with their unique giftedness. In a great scenario, I might have 3-5 years. I have their presence for a small time. We are attracted to opportunities that refine our craft, through addressing a new problem on our way toward something greater. Give challenges that need new solutions that match skillsets for a short period, then prep to send them off. Invite people to your team for a short commitment where they learn a ton.

3. The best recruiters are dream makers. I believe every person is designed for something unique, and we must create environments where we help people find that dream. Help and then connect them to others that can help them. The release of people that are fully living out their design as a result of your mentorship will always attract more talent. We all want to be built into, but then we want to do what we are made to do. So help others do just that and more talent will emerge.

4. Great people attract great people. The quality of your current team will have a significant affect on your next team member. Your team will either be creating momentum in recruiting or hurting your attraction of others. If you want to attract the best talent, it always needs to be building off your latest recruitment.

Since the day I received the call about my friend not accepting the position, I have second-guessed my recruiting abilities. Finding and attracting talent is hard, but will define what our organization will become.

I like who we are becoming.

When we have great talent, we attract great talent. When we have attracted great talent, we create great results. When we have great results, we attract even greater talent.

I’ve found when you do your best to tell and encourage great stories, the right characters keep showing up.

Invest in Others’ Dreams While They Work Within Yours is a post from: Storyline Blog