Zig Ziglar’s famous quote is as true today as ever: You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.
What you want are strong leaders. Here’s how to help them get what they want.
1. Be flexible in compensation and benefits. For most people, it’s not all about the money. If you can discover a person’s “why” and find a way to support it, money can come second. For example, if your top candidate wants to be home every day at 3pm to meet their children’s school bus, flexibility in where, when and how they work trumps how much they’re paid.
2. Ensure their leadership style is aligned with your purpose. Unless your candidate’s business philosophy, attitudes towards how people should be treated (within the organization and beyond), work ethic, and mission align with that of your organization, you will experience friction from day one and your new hire will soon be looking over the fence for greener pastures.
3. Provide opportunities for growth. Unless everyone in your organization – not just leadership – has ample opportunities to grow, you will constantly face turnover. Do you know their dreams and how you can help fulfill them? Even if you’re recruiting for the top spot, provide the flexibility and opportunities for people to stretch their talents and develop new ones.
4. Continue to grow personally. Author John Maxwell says, “The lower an individual’s ability to lead, the lower the lid on his potential. The higher the individual’s ability to lead, the higher the lid on his potential. To give you an example, if your leadership rates an 8, then your effectiveness can never be greater than a 7.” How can you expect to attract and mentor someone with an 8 or 9 level of leadership, if you only lead at a level 7? The example you set of consistent personal growth will be one of your most effective recruiting and retention strategies.
5. It’s their job, let them get on with it. The effective delegation of authority and responsibility is essential to the growth of any organization. You’ve chosen the best candidate for your leadership position and they bring with them fresh ideas and the enthusiasm to get the job done. Don’t micromanage. Decide together what success looks like then allow them the freedom to work towards it in their own time and way.