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Series 2 Lessons Learned: Building Strong Teams That Last with Amanda Godwin · The Delegation Download Podcast

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Delegation Download Podcast, where business owners, CEOs, and leaders learn to work smarter, not harder.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: We're your hosts, Nicole Hughes and Ashley Carlson, here to share real stories, expert tips, and simple strategies to help you delegate with confidence and grow your business with support.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_02: Because you can do anything, but not everything.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Delegation Download.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: If you've been with us through series two, you know we've spent a lot of time unpacking one of the biggest turning points in any business, hiring.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: Throughout this series, we've talked about everything from making your first hire to designing roles that actually solve problems to interviewing the right people, building strong onboarding systems, and even how internships can become powerful pipelines for future talent.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: As we wrap up this series, we wanted to slow things down and reflect a bit.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: So this is our lessons learned episode, where we're answering questions we've been asked, questions we wish people would have asked, and conversations we know business owners are already having in their heads when it comes to hiring.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: Some of these questions come from our listeners, some from our own experience.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: And today we will also be joined by Amanda Godwin, Elevates Director of Partnership Success, who you heard from earlier in this series.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: So today is less about teaching and more about talking it out.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get into it.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yay.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_02: Amanda, thank you for coming back to the podcast.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: We're excited to have you join us again and talk through the lessons learned from this series, especially because you have been a part of the hiring process and leading the hiring process here at Elevate for the past few years alongside Ashley.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_02: And I know that things have not always been rainbows and butterflies, and it has included some really hard decisions along the way.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_02: So thank you for joining us.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I am really excited to be back.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you guys for inviting me back.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_01: You're right, it hasn't always been smooth sailing and hiring, but we have learned a lot of lessons along the way, some of which we talked about in the last podcast that I was on.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: And so I'm excited to get back together with you guys and kind of share some more insights.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: All right, Amanda.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the questions that I wanted to ask you is what lesson from this series do you think that business owners are probably still resisting the most and why?
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: I would say that probably what business owners are resistant to the most, although they probably know it's needed, is just investing the extra time and energy up front that it takes to hire.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_01: And it's not just like it's the hiring process itself that takes a lot of time and energy before you even start interviewing candidates.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: There's a lot involved.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: We talked about the last time, all of the pre-work that it takes to establish your job description, to set up success metrics, KPIs, really defining what success looks like for the role.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_01: And then the actual hiring process where you're filtering candidates, you're interviewing, all of the things.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: But then also when it comes to actually onboarding a new employee into your business and integrating them into your team, it does require a lot of time up front in order to feel that relief a little later on down the road.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: And what we see so often as business owners are they've identified a gap that they need to fill and they want to do it quickly.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: But we have to invest time and energy in order to make sure that the hire is successful, which in the long run will eliminate any unnecessary friction in the future for team members that are onboarding that maybe aren't set up for success if there's no role clarity, if they haven't been onboarded properly, if they really are unclear on how to be successful in the role.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: So it does take time, it does take energy, but it is absolutely necessary.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I couldn't agree more.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: I think that the key word there that you used is to do it successfully.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: It does take a little bit of time and extra time and energy.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: And we do see a lot of resistance with that.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes people think they just don't have the time.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: And in the end, if you think about the time and energy that would go into an unsuccessful hire with whatever went wrong because you didn't put it in the in the forefront, that type of time and energy could potentially turn out, you know, where things are really you're ending up spending more time and energy, or there's a whole new set of problems or whatever it might be.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I think just reframing it a bit too, I would rather spend time and energy on making this successful than on troubleshooting problems that didn't need to be there in the first place.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I agree.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we've experienced that in the past too, especially before we've really taken a lot of time to refine the way that we're doing things.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: And we did experience gaps and we use those as learning opportunities to refine our process.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so sometimes that's also what it takes is a little trial and error, but it is very impactful whenever you can get uh whenever you can get that in place and in a good place.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I think the lesson here is take it from us.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: We've tried it both ways and definitely invest the time and energy.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: You won't regret it.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_02: Now, when it comes to like you've made the hire, right?
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_02: You're you've gone through the whole process, the person is onboarding.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_02: What's something that business owners often expect from a new hire that just isn't realistic?
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_01: I think that so, like I just said, business owners have identified that there's a gap somewhere and they need to fill it.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: So their goal is to get someone in there, fill the gap, figure it out.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_01: That's not always the case.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: That's not always possible immediately.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that business owners will sometimes hire and expect an immediate return on investment, as in their this hire is going to immediately come in and be able to solve the problem.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_01: But what we're missing is the understanding that there's going to be a transition period, the understanding that that team member is gonna need time to onboard into your team, into your systems to really get a good understanding of how things are functioning, of what your actual needs are.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, hopefully they'll have an idea in those success metrics prior to onboarding, but as we all know, it takes getting in there and actually putting our hands on things and actually doing the work.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: And so that does take time.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that that is something that we see sometimes as an unrealistic expectation is that that problem that they've identified is going to immediately be solved.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes it does take a little bit of time.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_01: And that's okay.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: There needs to be that transition period, that that period of time where the new hire is able to come in, get their feet wet, be able to learn and grow into what that role ultimately looks like.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_02: And while you were talking, I I was thinking hiring somebody is like, sounds kind of silly.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_02: So bear with me here.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_02: But it's like when you go to the grocery store and you buy all the ingredients for dinner, just because you have all the ingredients does not mean that that meal is just gonna make its way to the table and be prepped and ready to go.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_02: You're going to have to mix all the ingredients together.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_02: You've got to measure out everything so that it's exactly how it's supposed to be.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_02: Then you've got to bake it, then you've got to let it cool down a little bit, then you can eat it, your meal.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_02: So it's kind of like that.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_02: You have all the ingredients for something to happen.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_02: You have to take the time to put it all together to allow it to bake essentially into solving that gap.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_02: And like you said, it does take time.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_02: It's not going to happen from the moment that hire, that new hire starts working for you.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: I think also we've seen it from our perspective, just because of the type of business that we're in, we provide executive assistance to founders and business owners.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: And something that we've seen is our the people that we're supporting thinking that we're going to come in and immediately be able to think like them and know all the things that are in their head and be able to do the things just like they do.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_01: And that's also not possible.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: The goal is that we grow into that and we're able to learn their nuances and learn their preferences, but it can't happen overnight.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: It won't happen overnight.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_01: And so there has to be a period of time where we're able to ask questions and the founder CEO is able to give feedback.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_01: We're able to communicate effectively and get to a place where communication and the working style that it's flowing seamlessly.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that just it does take time and it takes a little bit of back and forth, a little bit of give and take.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I really love that.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: The ingredients versus the recipe, you know, and following it accordingly.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I know that we have looked at, I don't actually that'd be a fun stat to pull is how many resumes we've actually looked at in our five years.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: But I would love to hear from your perspective as someone who now pretty much oversees that entire piece of it, is what is something that makes a candidate stand out beyond their resume, especially when it comes to maybe just maybe you can touch on like the beginning part where it is just an application.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: We haven't spoken to them yet versus maybe what we use to pull out the differences that you beyond the resume from a candidate.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: If I'm speaking from our personal experience with hiring, I mean, I think that whenever we're we're looking at resumes, I mean, it is difficult uh to filter through so many resumes and to see things that truly stand out.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: But I do think that we have seen things over time.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: We've been able to be able, we've been able to see a little bit more of the person behind, especially whenever people are adding a little bit more of a personal touch to their resumes.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: They're adding a little more detail, they're giving examples, things like that.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: So we don't see this much anymore, but I have also seen cover letters.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: And that's sometimes a really nice personal touch for me because it kind of separates you from the pack, especially if you are talking about our company and who we are and being able to show alignment with that, because I think that that's sometimes very difficult to see immediate alignment whenever you're just looking at resumes.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: So just adding a little more personal touches, that's really nice to see.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: But I think whenever we actually go into candidate interviews, I mean, we have a pretty thorough process.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: Not only do we look at resumes, but we also have video questionnaire.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's a really nice way for us to see someone on camera, to see how they communicate.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, albeit it's with a Zoom call or speaking to your camera, and it's not as personal, but we do get a sense of their communication style, a little bit of their thought process.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: And then we also have our skills and evals.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_01: So this is where we give them scenarios that we've experienced before in our industry and we want to see how they would respond to that.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's a really great way for us to see do they think with that operational mindset, that's what we want to see on our team?
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_01: And so by the time we get to a one-on-one interview and we're actually talking to them in person, that call is more reserved to make sure that there's a mutual alignment.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_01: We want to hear questions from the candidate.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_01: We will ask a few more questions, but again, it's a lot about, it's a lot more about alignment with the company, but it also gives us a more of an idea of their mindset.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: Do they have that ownership mindset?
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: Are they thinking operationally a little bit more strategically in a way that's going to separate themselves from other candidates?
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um, do they, are they a clear communicator?
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_01: Is this the type of communicator that we want to see working with our clients?
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: And so that call is more of an alignment fit.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that what stands out to me beyond a resume is their communication style, their ownership mindset, thoughtful questions asked during an interview process, because again, I said it in the last podcast, but nothing kills me more whenever we don't have any questions in an interview.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: And it's we're just talking to the person and asking them questions, and then they they leave with nothing, no questions for us.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: It doesn't give us much to work with as far as knowing if they're if if the fit is mutual.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think it's it's so important to make sure that regardless of the skill set that you might see on a resume, is this person going to fit on our team?
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I always say, I mean, I think I say it when we meet them is I want to make sure you're gonna love it here just as much as we think we would love to have you here, right?
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's so important that is this a place that they're gonna be happy?
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: Is it a fit for them as well?
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think one of the biggest questions that I know that we ask that is along these lines that I absolutely like think helps this question in particular is we ask what is something that you're proud of that isn't on your resume from your career.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: And I think those answers really tell a lot because it gives them an opportunity to, there's so much on a resume that, you know, is standard and has to be said a certain way and that type of thing.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: But it's really cool to hear, usually it'll be something that maybe they learned, something that they were passionate about, or a problem that they solved, or a customer story that they helped.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: And it's really interesting.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: We've had someone geek out on a spread, tell us all about a spreadsheet for a very long time.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: And we're we appreciate that.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's it, you can get a little bit of a sense of what would be on their resume, but with their personality tied into it.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: So I highly recommend adding that question into your process if you haven't already.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_02: Ashley, I love that you brought up the personality because I think that when you ask that question and it gets them excited, you get to see what their happy face looks like.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: Not their just, not their business face, but their happy face when they're telling you about something that they're so excited about.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_02: And so you really get to see their personality come out outside of the resume because it is just words on a document.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_02: That's all that you get to know when you're first looking at these potential hires.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_02: And so getting that personality, I think, is really important.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_01: I think to I've also heard answers to that question be really personal and something not tied to their professional work.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I think even then sometimes it's cool to see what they truly value because that's really important to us to make sure that our values are aligned when it comes to a hire.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_01: That's super important for us, especially considering we put so much into the culture at Elevate.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that I've I've heard a lot of great answers that weren't necessarily tied to their professional achievements.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_01: And that's been really great to see.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love when people come back about, I think we have a team of lifelong learners, I have noticed, people who are always striving to learn new things.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: And so, like you said, sometimes it's not necessarily tied to a profession, but it's something that they're excited that they went back to school and learned this new thing.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: Or I don't know, I think it is really interesting to hear it's just an opportunity to hear their, like you said, their values, their personality.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it and I think we feel like that might be one of the questions we'd lead with in the one-on-one.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it really just takes the pressure off a little bit.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: And so hope and it leads into the rest of the interview process where this is just a conversation, and I think it really does help kind of take off the load that you, you know, that anxiety that they might feel because you're giving, you're starting with an opportunity for them to share something that lights them up, regardless of what the answer is.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's something that they're really excited about.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: So I love that question that we ask.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_02: All right, so now let's switch gears.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_02: Interview process is done.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_02: You've made your selection on who you're gonna hire as your next employee.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_02: How does having clear roles and expectations impact that onboarding process and the long-term success of the new hire that just joined the team?
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think that we talked a lot about role clarity and success metrics, making sure that that team member is onboarding with a clear path.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_01: I think that it allows for faster integration into your team if there's a clear process in place.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: I think that it helps the employee build confidence, like they have more confidence as they're going through the onboarding process.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: I think long term there's better retention whenever you have role clarity and success metrics.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that overall it leads to better performance because they know what's expected.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and also they know who to turn to.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: Like if there's a clear hierarchy and a support team for them.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: So, for example, us, um whenever we onboard, we've got a clear training in place.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: And they also know who to go to if they have questions.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_01: We make sure to have touch points, regular touch points weekly, whenever team members are onboarding, and they also have their dedicated account manager that is their internal support system consistently.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: And so making sure that team members, new team members, have somewhere to turn whenever they do have questions or if there is confusion.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think that overall that kind of leads to them feeling more successful and confident.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_01: It leads to business owners and CEOs not having to micromanage, not having to follow up because team members really understand what the expectations are and they they know, like I said, where to turn to if there is any type of confusion.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_02: And going back to the processes that we use here at Elevate, we have a welcome guide that we send to both clients and to new team members.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_02: And it gives them all of the must-nows, like from day one, who do you reach out to, like you were saying?
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_02: Where do you need to go for this information?
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: How do you contact this person?
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_02: So giving your new hire that information from the get-go gives them confidence to know I can ask questions.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_02: I have the information that I need.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_02: I know where I need to turn to if I get stuck or or I see a gap or I'm lost in something.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: But our training also, I mean, we have a relatively new hire and the she boasts about the training that it was so seamless to go through the whole process and explains everything.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_02: And then we're also checking in with our team members, our new hires, on a regular basis while they are being integrated into Elevate, getting ready to support clients.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_02: Because if they are successful in their partnership with Elevate as an employee, then they're going to be successful in their client partnerships as well.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that that is super important to start from the very beginning.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: I think that when we bring someone on to something that I've noticed is really helpful is asking them and making note ourselves of what questions come up because on your onboarding process, all of these resources and all these things that we've created may not have been touched since our last hire.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: And that could have been a while.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so they're, I think just letting them know from the start, hey, we have all these resources, but please shout out if at any point something doesn't make sense or you don't have access to something, chances are pretty high that something might be inaccurate or broken, at least in one place.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: And so letting them know that that kind of feedback and flag is really important to us so that way we can address it and bring clarity to them and to the future higher, right?
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: So really bringing them in on a, on, hey, we want your help improving this along the way, I think is really helpful.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, I know that we get questions every time and all the questions we we're also very open to questions.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: We want them to ask questions because the worst thing is, you know, I don't know, coming into the office and not knowing where the break room is or something, right?
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: So you want to make sure that you really you have given them the confidence and the clarity and the comfort of filling this role and being a part of the team.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: So um, kind of along the same lines, one of the questions that I had was what is something that builds trust quickly with a new team member?
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_01: It's what you just said as an example, because I think that allowing team members a space to give feedback and to raise flags to have an outlet is important.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_01: And so, like you just said, whenever we onboard a new employee, we ask them to call out anything that feels confusing or anything that needs clarification or anything that needs an update because we're not perfect, we're human too.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_01: So showing team members that you're also open to feedback and also open to growing with them is important.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_01: It gives them confidence to know that they have a path to success that also can include growth from where they started.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_01: I think that communication is super important to us.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_01: And so having consistent touch points is important.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_01: I also think that when from a leadership perspective, follow-through from leadership is really important.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: So if we say that we're gonna do something, then we do it.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: That just builds trust and confidence with the employee.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_01: And something that we've done, and I feel like is super important for anybody, is to pull back the curtains a little bit for your team members, give them insight into how leadership is working or what we're working on, um things that are tied to the company's overall goals.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_01: I think we've seen a lot of success and a lot of interest there from team members whenever we actually pull things back and bring them into the things that we're working on because it allows them to feel more aligned with our direction and to kind of like get on board with us and also giving them some ownership into some of those things.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_01: We brought team members into some of the initiatives that we've that we worked on and are currently working on.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that just overall makes team members feel more invested, which is exactly what we want to see.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think when they have an opportunity to feel the impact from the start, even if it's something super small like giving feedback on an SOP might be outdated and things like that, I think it helps them feel like they're already from the start making an impact and you know, feeling the value that they're already bringing.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's really important.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_00: Something else that I thought of while you were talking was some that what we do also is we we have them fill out kind of a get to know you questionnaire upon onboarding.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: And we send, and because we're all remote, we send a gift, a small gift that is something personal to them that says welcome to the team.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: And so I definitely recommend that some sort of beyond, you know, the usual here walk around the office tour of who where everything is, who everybody is, something that feels a little bit personal to them and seen as a human uh sour candy or whatever it might be.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: Just something that like really brings the value or shows that you see them as a person, I think also is a really nice touch.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_00: I always get messages from our new team members saying, like, thank you so much.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like this was really nice.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it just, and we all know it feels really good to get something in the mail that isn't a bill.
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, that doesn't happen very often.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_01: I have a question.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_01: So, I mean, I've been doing the hiring for Elevate for a while, but you're the actual owner of Elevate and CEO of Elevate.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think I would love to hear from your perspective as a leader, what is something that you've struggled with during hiring that maybe people, business owners don't talk about?
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me, because at this point, I feel like you really oversee the entire process leading up to the one-on-one interviews.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: And for me, it's beyond the process, it's the vulnerability of letting another person into what feels like a really well oiled machine, a really great team, really strong.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_00: At any point that we've had to hire, things feel really smooth.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone's communicating well.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: We've got like 10 out of 10 on our core of everyone's exemplify.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Our core values.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so it feels really scary to bring someone else into the mix.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_00: And so I have definitely learned along the way that that is why hiring for me, I now look at it as a perspective of who's going to be the most complementary to our team, who's going to fit the most.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: And not to say that we all are like copy paste molds, but what I mean more is like, is everyone gonna gel, right?
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_00: Is this person either going to add value, be stronger in one way that maybe the others aren't?
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: Is this person going to bring the collaboration that we already have, bring the, bring more of communication that we already have, like bring more of all the good stuff and maybe even more other things, like I said, that we aren't strong in?
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that it's for me, it's the vulnerability piece of adding someone else to the mix feels scary because most business owners will get it.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's like your baby.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's like it's like hiring a babysitter for your infant for the first time.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's very scary to just hand your baby and leave the building like to this new person.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_00: And so that that's what it feels like is I really hope that I I can trust this person.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_00: I really hope that this person is going to fit right in and things like that.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think it's just the vulnerability piece.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: It is scary.
• 23:12
  unknown: Yeah.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: I think that we're not just hiring for like our client needs, we're also hiring for our team needs.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: And so, like you said, and I think we talked about it in the last podcast uh that I was on.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_01: You said culture fit versus culture ad, I think is what we said.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I think that's a great perspective to have because, like you said, it's not like we want to copy paste every team member.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_01: We want new team members who are going to amplify the good that we're already seeing and also bring new perspectives and provide growth in new areas.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that making sure that we're looking at it from all perspectives and not just not just filling the immediate gap, not just satisfying this one client need, but satisfying the full team's need.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: And that's a big ask.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's like a that's a pretty heavy ask.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_01: And that's why you have to be so intentional through that, throughout the hiring process.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's why we've also learned to start the process of hiring before it is an immediate need, because then you have the time and the ability to ask really intentional questions, really sit with it as far as because truthfully, we get people who have the skills.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_00: We have, you know, could have an endless number of people who have the skills.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: So for us, we're looking for who fits, who, who is going to thrive here, that type of thing, as far as just bringing value.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: We really we value teamwork, like just someone who's gonna come in and be someone who's gonna jump in to help and someone who's also gonna raise their hand for help and all of that, those types of things.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that hiring when it's not an emergency is key in order to be as intentional as we have learned that you should be.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think the the rush of hiring is where a lot of business owners, CEOs may find themselves like stuck because they're trying to do things so quickly because they're trying to fill that gap.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I said it, I mean, back in series one about delegation that it is a marathon, it's not a sprint.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_02: So you have to take your time.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_02: You have to, you gotta stretch, you gotta do all the things so that you can make it to the finish line.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: Otherwise, you're going to get stuck.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_02: You're going to maybe make the wrong hire and you're not going to be happy.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_02: And then you have the turnover rate, which is not where you want to be as a business owner.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_02: Now, Amanda, I would love to know because leaders often focus heavily on experience and skills that are just written on their resume.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_02: What are some qualities that you look for when you are speaking to candidates that are maybe harder to measure, but often make the biggest difference when they join a team?
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: So I said it earlier.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's important to, at least in our roles, I think that when I'm looking at candidates, having that true ownership mindset is important.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_01: So that along with, I would say adaptability is really important because we never know when we're, whenever, like as a business or with our clients, we're going to have to pivot.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_01: And so having team members that are willing to pivot with you and willing to adapt to whatever the current needs are, not to say that we want a lot of chaos and a lot of changes, but sometimes we do have to make changes depending on the situation.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_01: And team members, we want them to be willing to grow with us, whatever that looks like.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think adaptability is important.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_01: Again, for us, communication is huge, the type of communicator that they are, being open and honest and transparent, it is so important.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um and I think that overall, just having a curiosity and willingness to learn, having that growth mindset, just because we know that this role is ever changing.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: And in any business, there's always going to be changes on the horizon.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that just having that curiosity and a growth mindset is key to being successful in any role.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I think it goes back to making sure that you have your core values as a business set up because those are things that are very hard to, they're very hard to measure from person to person, but they are very important to have.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what you're looking for in your candidate.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_02: And that's something that I know Ashley does with strategic mapping is figuring out what your mission is, figuring out what your core values are and making sure that you have those so that anybody that you add to your team, whether it is a an intern or an employee or a contractor or you're outsourcing, they fall in line with your core values because you want those to stay consistent from person to person.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think that the core values piece truly is it's probably the biggest piece of hiring.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because if, like you said, Amanda, if if things are pivoting in the business for what in whatever way, shape, or form it could be the tools used or the structure or the the who, the what, the how.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_00: But as long as they are aligned with your core values, they're gonna be be on board.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_00: They're gonna say, all right, let's do this.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_00: I I believe in this business.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: I'm aligned with this business, I'm excited about the direction we're going.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I I I would agree that core values is probably one of the most important things to hire for.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Amanda, thank you again for coming back to chat through the lessons learned from series two.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_00: We have, I think, all understood that hiring is not cut and dry like most everything in business.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: You're going to make adjustments along the way.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes the best way to improve is to fix what didn't work and build a strong foundation that can be remodeled rather than completely demoed and started from scratch.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_02: So let's wrap up today's conversation by reminding everybody that hiring isn't about finding perfect people.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_02: It's about building the right support system for your vision that you're trying to create.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_02: Every team, every role, every hire is part of a bigger puzzle.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_02: And learning how to place those pieces thoughtfully can completely change the trajectory of your business.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_02: This lessons learned episode is shaped by real questions, real experiences, and real conversations.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_02: So if something we talked about today sparked a thought or a question, we want to hear it, make sure that you comment.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_02: Find us on Instagram or talk to us on LinkedIn.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_02: You can submit questions, topics that you want us to unpack, or even hiring challenges that you're navigating behind the scenes in your own business.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for being here.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for listening and for building teams that support support both you and your business.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_02: We'll see you on the next episode of the Delegation Download Podcast.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_02: And remember, you've got this.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening to the Delegation Download Podcast.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us at Elevate VV Solutions for more tips to help you lead smarter and live better.