How to Hire A-Players: Finding the Top People for ... - GIT home page

Do I Really Have Time for This?
Don’t Just Sit There. Reach Out! 95
The steps that I describe in this chapter are critical not just for finding
A-players but also for finding new clients, developing your career,
and building your business. I am not asking you to do a lot
more than you already are doing when it comes to getting out in
the community and building new business relationships. Instead, I
am giving you some strategies to make the networking that you are
already doing pay off in finding and hiring A-players. Every day you
meet people who could help you find your next great employee.
You rob yourself and your business of crucial opportunities if you
don’t have a step-by-step process for cultivating these relationships
and tapping into them for A-players.
A search consultant told me a great story about the importance
of patiently cultivating relationships. A CEO asked her to find an
A-player to fill a senior executive role. She found the perfect guy—
and he turned her down cold. This executive was content with his
current company. However, this recruiter wouldn’t quit. It took her
nine months to convince this man just to have breakfast with her
client. No commitments, just breakfast. Three months after the
breakfast finally occurred, this same executive quit his job and
went to work for her client. The breakfast meeting was the first step
in his realizing that this would be a great career move. This and
subsequent meetings convinced him that he and the CEO could
work as partners to achieve a common vision. Just as important,
this executive connected with the CEO relationally. He realized that
this was someone he could work with, learn from, and follow.
Strong performers want leaders they can follow and who have a
vision they can buy into. When you expand your network, you are
increasing the number of A-players you know who share your values
and passion. Some of these people will buy into your leadership
and vision; they are the future A-players of your company. But if
you just sit in your office or hang out with the same small circle of
people, you will never find these people. So get focused, be purposeful
about expanding your network, and start filling your farm
team with new talent.