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Want Rock Star Talent in Your Company? Look for These 5 Key Elements (1)

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An awesome blog post from one of the most incredible, creatively brilliant entrepreneurs I know, Mika Salmi.

He knows how to find rock star talent ... literally (he discovered Nine Inch Nails and the Presidents of the USA before embarking on an amazing digital entrepreneur career)


Want Rock Star Talent in Your Company? Look for These 5 Key Elements
by Mika Salmi https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikasalmi

"I love finding and nurturing talent. It is a common thread throughout my career.

Whether it was discovering and signing the Nine Inch Nails and Presidents of the USA when I was in the music business or showcasing the early artistic efforts of Jason Reitiman, Jib Jab and Pop Cap when I ran Atom Entertainment, a big part of my job was to identify and help make artists successful.

Now, as CEO of creativeLIVE, we give gifted professionals like Sue Bryce and Tim Ferriss a platform to teach to millions of people worldwide. In effect, we are turning instructors into rock stars.

But more importantly, talent isn’t only about artists, award-winning photographers or authors. It’s also about anyone who excels at their job and makes a noticeable and lasting contribution wherever they work.

Understanding this, my passion for discovering and cultivating talent has moved beyond artists and instructors and into employees.

Putting together an “A” team in a business, especially a start-up, can mean the difference between success and failure. With artists, failure is a possibility built into the P&L.

But with employees, failure comes at a significant cost to the business. It is critical to choose your employees wisely.

Here are 5 things to look for when hiring:

1. No mercenaries. Only hire people who truly believe in the mission of the company; test them on this in the interview process. While someone who is highly talented but concerned only with their own success may get a lot done, that person is often disruptive and toxic to an organization.
2. Smarter than you. Seek employees who know much more about the area they are being hired into than you; you will learn from them.
3. Accomplished. Look for people who have a real accomplishment or two in their life that they can point to -- such as being part of a team that shipped a major product. Such achievements show they know what it takes to succeed.
4. Company culture fit. The way they communicate, manage, work, etc. fits how your company operates on a daily basis. This is not about whether they are a fun person to hang out with in your free time.
5. Diverse. Look for employees with varied backgrounds and experiences who can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas.

The proof of a good hire will be clear pretty quickly: you’ll see that your best employees not only excel in the area they were specifically hired for, but are ready to be promoted to take on more responsibility. Down the line, you’ll see them experience great success in their career.

Some of the talented artists I’ve been able to help throughout my career have gone on to have millions of people enjoy their records, games, and films. In the same way, I’ve been glad to see employees grow to become leaders in my company or even leave to start their own business.

Hiring talented employees is one of the most critical things you can do for your company. Smart, accomplished employees who share in the company’s vision and embrace its culture, while offering their own unique perspective, will form a team that is even stronger than the sum of its parts.

And even if these individuals eventually move own to other pursuits like running their own start-up, they will have made an important contribution to your business. And you’ll know that you helped find and nurture Rock Star Talent."

from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130...5-key-elements

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