Hire Using the “I Like You” Test
Last week one of the folks on my team was chatting with my wife, Emily. During the conversation, that staffer shared:
“I can tell Tony hired everyone on our team because we all get along so well.”
That’s encouraging for me to hear. Not to be too boastful, but it’s true. I get to work each day with a world-class team that has huge capacity. It’s a dream team. Here’s the best part — I actually enjoy hanging out with them as well. They’re fun!
You can have that kind of team as well, but you’ll have to work at it.
- You’ll have to have tough conversations when you find that someone is in the wrong role or doesn’t have the right personality fit.
- You’ll have to hire people using the “I Like You” test instead of just using the “Can You Perform the Job?” test.
- You’ll have to be patient (it took me about 18 months) before you can bring the right people together.
- You’ll have to dream big to attract big talent.
- You’ll have to be intentional about scheduling “fun time” to complement the “work like maniacs” time.
- You’ll have to give people the freedom to do their thing instead of just telling them where they can go.
- You’ll have to be interested in things like their family, their health, their spiritual journey and not just their job performance.
You could have a dream team as well, but something tells me you’re too lazy, too afraid or not disciplined enough to make that happen.
Hope you feel challenged by that statement. You should be. Our mission is a big one, and you deserve a dream team to accomplish it.
It also makes ministry and life a lot more fun.
it does make ministry more fun. hard to come by though. and invaluable when you find it.
“You’ll have to give people the freedom to do their thing instead of just telling them where they can go.” If you feel like you need to tell your people “where they can go” then maybe it is time for a little vacation.
Seriously, great post!!!
This is good… but for those of us in smaller churches working with mostly part-time (or volunteer) staff, it is a little harder. I’m not making excuses (actually, I think I have a great team and many of them are volunteers!) but it is harder when loyalities are divided.
Anyone can work great together with a dream team~ but to show the love of Christ by working together in harmony and unity with a ragtag team that you inherited, couldn’t hand pick, is a challenge and rewarding! To lead in such a way as to empower your staff, encourage them to be their best, work efficiently and effectively as a team is an amazing ministry. Hopefully there will also be an iron sharpening iron time in your dream team once the honeymoon is over. That’s how the Lord achieves His purposes for all of us!