Hire Slow, Fire Fast

In a small business, your people are everything. Not only do they likely interface with your clients, but they also represent you in the community. And most importantly, they reflect the type of culture you have in your organization — in every conversation, every customer interaction, every moment when leadership isn't in the room.

This is why it is critical that you have the right people on your team.

Take Your Time Hiring

Finding the right people is genuinely difficult. It is hard to know how people will act on the job after just a few interviews. You can increase your odds of finding people who will properly fit into the role by requiring them to complete a personality profile prior to being hired.

There are several tools in the market, but I favor the ProfileXT assessment. It examines both intelligence and working traits, allowing you to understand potential interpersonal dynamics based on your own profile and the role's requirements. The goal is to hire the right person — not simply the "right now" person when you're under pressure to fill a seat.

Act Quickly When It Isn't Working

Unfortunately, even with the best tools and ample time invested, poor hiring decisions will inevitably occur. This does not mean the person is bad — just that they are not right for your organization.

When you recognize this, you need to act decisively. One bad apple can spoil the barrel. Similar to a slow-spreading illness, negative behaviors will propagate throughout your organization and transform your excellent culture into one marked by conflict, disengagement, and turnover.

The longer you wait to address a poor fit, the more expensive the problem becomes — in morale, in customer experience, and ultimately in the culture you've worked hard to build.

The Simple Rule

When building your team: hire slow, fire fast. This gives you the best chance of building the organizational culture you've always envisioned — one where the right people thrive and the work reflects your values.