image by Round Indigo Rock, flickr artist
we’ve had a big hiring push lately at my firm, and to be quite frank i don’t really like it.
to me it’s not enough to hire bright, intelligent, promising people to add to your workforce. Â you have to go beyond that and think about the team(s) those people will be on. Â this is hard to do when you are hiring people for their capabilities rather than a particular task. Â you need to be asking: can they become the new leaders of this team? Â can they handle the pressures of a highly dynamic development process? Â will they be able to form those trusting bonds with their coworkers?
i’ve been a part of many teams in both my academic and professional lives to know that just because someone has all the skills necessary, and their resumé checks all the boxes on your list of “the perfect candidate,” that doesn’t mean that they’re the right fit for your organization.  conversely, i’ve known people who have not been the brightest or the most talented but whom have made the organization thrive because they were excellent teammates.