Hard Work Club’s Post

When it comes to hiring, company culture should be your north star. ✨ What is your go-to question for assessing a candidate's cultural fit? We'd love to hear your insights—share in the comments!👇 #recruiting #companyculture #hiring #employerbrand #hiringtip

🚀 Unlocking Founder Mode: Lessons from Brian Chesky 🚀 I recently had the privilege of watching and listening to an enlightening conversation between Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, and VC Keith Rabois, where they delved deep into the concept of Founder Mode and its implications for hiring strategies, particularly at Treenia. Key Takeaways: Understanding Founder Mode: Founder Mode is about being deeply involved in the details of your product and team. It’s the mindset that drives true innovation and accountability within an organization. Brian emphasized that great leadership is about presence, not absence. Leaders should be hands-on, understanding the intricacies of their product and the capabilities of their team. The Art of Tactical Hiring: Brian shared his approach to hiring, focusing on the importance of recruiting individuals who thrive in a startup environment. This involves identifying candidates who are not just managers but builders—those who can roll up their sleeves and contribute directly to the company's mission. He advocates for a rigorous interview process that prioritizes references over resumes, ensuring candidates have a proven track record of results. Navigating Bureaucracy: As companies grow, they can fall into the trap of bureaucracy. Brian's experience showed that a flat organizational structure, with fewer layers of management, fosters agility and innovation. He highlighted the need to avoid hiring individuals who excel in large, bureaucratic environments, as they may struggle in a dynamic startup setting. The Importance of Culture: Building a strong company culture is essential. Brian's insights remind us that the best talent is often attracted by a compelling vision and a challenging environment, not just perks and benefits. He shared the example of his early days at Airbnb, where leveraging networks and storytelling was crucial in attracting top talent despite being a small, unknown company. Closing Candidates: Interestingly, Brian suggested a counterintuitive approach to closing candidates: at the end of the interview process, talk them out of the job. This honesty builds trust and attracts those who are genuinely committed to the challenges ahead. As we implement these insights at Treenia, I believe we can cultivate a team that embodies the spirit of Founder Mode, driving us toward innovative solutions and sustainable growth. Let’s continue to learn from each other and strive for excellence in our hiring practices! 💡 #FounderMode #Hiring #Leadership #Airbnb #Treenia #Innovation #CompanyCulture #BrianChesky #KeithRabois

🎬 Hello, it’s Brad Pitt here! 🕶️ Guess what? I’m finally out of the hospital, all thanks to an incredibly generous €800,000 gift from a lovely French lady who must believe in me more than anyone else ever has. Merci beaucoup ! Now, with this amazing generosity, I’ve decided it’s time to shake things up. Let’s face it, Hollywood is great, but even I can’t star in every movie. So, I’m taking on a new challenge: finding top talent to help me put this money to work. Here’s the deal: I’m looking for great people to join my new entourage. Not to carry my coffee or hold umbrellas (although those are valid skills), but to bring real value to my next projects. 🎯 Who am I looking for? - Sales Legends: If you’ve got the charisma to close deals faster than I can walk a red carpet, I need you on board. You’ll be turning ideas into reality and, who knows, maybe pitching my next big venture. https://lnkd.in/euQkt7ev https://lnkd.in/eZDGAQC9 - Senior HR Business Partner: I may have an Oscar, but I need someone to help organize the madness behind the scenes. Let’s make sure this team runs smoother than any of my movie productions! https://lnkd.in/eaG87_6C 💡 What’s in it for you? - A chance to work with Brad Pitt (that’s me, remember?). - A role where creativity, charm, and a touch of drama are not just welcomed but celebrated. - An adventure that combines Hollywood-level drama with real-world impact. - And, of course, free movie recommendations straight from yours truly. If you’ve got what it takes to join my inner circle, send me your profile (no cash transfers necessary this time, I promise). Lights, camera, action, let’s make this a blockbuster! 🌟 #Recruitment #BradPitt #Hiring #NotAScamThisTime

Quite a lot to think about in these thoughts from AirBnB's Founder-CEO Brian Chesky on "Founder Mode". Quite rarely do I stop to think so many times within a 45 minute interview as with this one. A few interesting one picks from it: 1. Chesky thinks that the CEO should be the Chief Product Officer: The CEO, especially in product-led companies, needs to be deeply involved in product development, understand the details of their product, and steer the direction of product development. The CEO should review all work, holding regular check-ins to monitor progress and address bottlenecks. 2. Functional Organisational Structure: Organise the company functionally (design, engineering, marketing, etc.) instead of dividing it into product or feature-based divisions. This promotes collaboration, reduces bureaucracy and politics, and enables quicker decision-making. 3. Chesky's belief that all managers should be specialists first and foremost. He argues that managers should deeply understand the work they are managing and not just focus on managing people. 4. "Guilty until proven innocent" approach when recruiting / interviewing, meaning that the burden of proof is on the candidate to prove they are exceptional, rather than assuming a candidate is good until proven otherwise. Ask for specifics: Probe for specific examples of what made the candidate stand out. Ask to see their work and be specific on whether they did the work - or they were just a part of a team who did the work. 5. Honesty and Transparency in recruiting: Chesky suggests that at the end of the interview process you should try to talk the candidate out of the job by outlining all the reasons why it might not be a good fit for them. He believes in setting realistic expectations. Instead of presenting a rosy picture of the company, he advocates for being upfront about the demanding work environment. This helps attract candidates who are genuinely motivated and prepared for the challenges. -- Now some of this can be problematic in terms of micromanaging, scaling (when you are reviewing a lot) and increase likehood for confirmation bias and echo chambers around the CEO among other things. All of this is a fine balance though. Would love to hear your thoughts!

We've all been there - feeling desperate and making hiring decisions that didn't quite match our brand. But having a clear set of core values makes all the difference!  What's your biggest hiring challenge? Let us know in the comments! 👇 Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/enhQD8-j  #companyculture #corevalues #valuesdriven #teamculture #hiringtips

Successful hiring is all about finding the perfect match for both the candidate and the company. Look beyond just skills; seek cultural alignment and potential for growth. When you find the right fit, everyone thrives. 🔍💼 #HiringTips #FindingTheRightFit #CompanyCulture

We're excited to share our first ever blog post by the talented design leader, Raff Di Meo 🙌🏻 👉 https://lnkd.in/gfSkbxsm Building an inclusive hiring process is essential for fostering diverse teams and creating better outcomes. By embracing different perspectives, we drive innovation and inclusivity from the start. Here's some of Raff's ideas and check out the blog to understand the reasoning behind them: 1️⃣ Blind screening 2️⃣ Streamlined process 3️⃣ Interview questions upfront 4️⃣ No design tasks 5️⃣ Fair scoring Anything else we could include? #InclusiveHiring #DiversityInDesign #DesignLeadership #InclusiveWorkplace #BlindRecruitment #FairHiring #NeurodiversityInTech #DesignCulture #EmpathyInHiring #InclusiveTeams #InnovationThroughDiversity #InclusiveDesign #DiversityAndInclusion #BelongingAtWork #HiringBestPractices

I hired Ana Flávia Silva as my chief of staff in March, and she did two things in the first 30 days that set her up to make a big impact now. 1. She took real work off my plate in her first 72 hours 2. She asked smart questions in 1:1s that she couldn't answer by reading a document (and still does this) When starting a new job, typical advice is often "soak up as much as possible" or "just ask a lot of questions" - I think this is wrong, especially today when companies only hire once the current team is underwater. Yes, you should learn about the business, but the best new employees take tactical work off someone's plate and learn as much as they can on their own time in the first 30 days. This way, they shift the situation fast from a new hire being more work for a hiring manager to less work. This is easier in roles like chief of staff, where you get faster exposure to the tactical and strategic parts of the business. But I think any new hire benefits from this playbook. More in this week's Personal Math post - link in comments!

Amazing how many smart, talented, capable people are out there. Just because someone is not (yet) a celebrity, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take their call. And sometimes, the celebrities are better at self-promotion than actually doing the work. Celebrity culture is as dangerous in business as it is in healthcare and politics. Even when hiring consultants, look for hands-on #experience, #technical prowess in their field, cultural fit, and #character. I find life experience is important too, but we have to be open to exceptions and mavericks. #People and #Culture #Hiring #Talent #Competence and #Potential

I'm hiring a new team member and I started reflecting on what really makes a team click. It's not just about individual talent; it's the magic that happens when the right people come together around a shared goal.  We’ve all done personality tests that give insight into your and your colleagues' work styles.  But when you are hiring you have the unique opportunity to be mindful from jump street about the team composition.  For me, three qualities are non-negotiable: Diligence: We need someone who's dedicated and driven. Someone who takes ownership and isn't afraid of a little hard work. I can’t ‘teach’ someone work ethic but it’s a value I hold dear.   Curiosity: A sharp mind that's always asking "why?" Policy work requires digging in deep to understand not just the mechanics of the policy but the context.  None of us knows it all but what sets folks apart is their desire and capacity to continue learning. Cool: Let's be honest, we spend a lot of time with our colleagues. I want someone who's “cool” which includes being a great communicator, a team player and brings positive energy. A supportive and fun atmosphere is essential. Life's too short to work with people you don't enjoy!  One of the compelling reasons I started my own business was to build a work environment I wanted to be a part of and build for others.  It starts with the people.  Robert Orben said, "If you can laugh together, you can work together.' Building a dream team takes work, but it's so worth it. I'm excited to find the perfect fit! #teamwork #hiring #leadership #companyculture #careers