Whatever business you’re in, relationships matter. We’re talking about the people you’ve grown with: the advisors, specialists and hard workers that have formed the crux of your team thus far.
Keeping them on-side as the business grows and moves to unchartered waters seems natural. But it may be a detriment. If we’re honest with ourselves, the company may have outgrown them. Some roles just ask for more. The sooner you can realise this, the better your organisation will be.
It’s hard to be unsentimental about those who’ve followed you through thick and thin, coping with new demands and circumstances. Every business owner has fond memories of their brand, and the people behind it who gave it a personality. They may have been part of the original sales or marketing group, or they might be the financial hand you were so desperate for at the time.
But now, things are different. Those key roles aren’t as contained or straightforward. You have a much more holistic view of the company and there’s no longer a place for those who can’t see the big picture. Despite your efforts, veteran workers just can’t meet that perspective. They are happy with what they were doing; taking on different or more complex work isn’t for them.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably thinking along similar lines. There’s a body of evidence to suggest that competence, as a rule, only carries someone a single level above what they’re good at.
It’s called The Peter Principle – coined in 1969, the term refers to the fact that a person who’s great at their job is promoted to the next stage of a hierarchy, and if they stay there, they are merely serviceable in what they do. People move up until they are redundant. It’s a cause of unhappiness, as well as poor results.
Yet we’re able to combat The Principle by openly admitting that a certain role has become too difficult for a current employee to take on. Everyone has a glass ceiling over their skills. Your staff may have reached it.
A person has to, then, either paddle faster or be replaced. This could result in a smaller, fresher team – with a more advanced set of skills or greater experience. Or instead, one key executive search hire might change everything. Your company needs to look for those who are ideal for its present form, as opposed to what it used to be. You will earn more, receive brighter creative ideas, and gain strength from diversified talent.
SPE Resourcing can help. Our position amongst top executive search firms has been earned over many years of solid advice. Daniel and the team are ready to reknit your corporate system, so it has the right people for your future. Speak to us for more details.
