Want Your Company to Get Ahead? Hire People Smarter Than You. If you hire exceptional people, not only will your business thrives but so will you.
By Craig Cincotta Edited by Dan Bova
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Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to work with and for some really smart people.
I have also been fortunate to hire some absolute rock stars that have allowed me to grow both personally and professionally.
At my current company, Porch.com, one of the reasons I run up the stairs Monday through Friday day is because I know I am going to learn something new from the people on my team.
If you hire exceptional people not only will your business thrives, you will thrive too.
Here are a few reasons why you should hire people who are smarter than you.
Learning should be a lifelong goal.
If you work for a company that promotes intellectual curiosity, you are in a great place. There are a lot of avenues you can pursue to learn new things but one of the most rewarding is to learn from the people you hire. When you open yourself up to their perspectives, expertise and experience it's amazing how much you can personally learn day in and day out.
Related: 7 Interview Questions To Help You Hire Superstars
You should always work to diversify your perspectives.
It's a blessing any time you have an opportunity to see things in a different way. By broadening your exposure to new people you can tap into new ways of thinking, analyzing and sharpening your business acumen, ultimately making you a more well-rounded leader.
You can create something bigger than yourself.
With the right focus you and your team will achieve something greater and bigger than you could ever achieve on your own. Steve Jobs once said, "A small team of A+ players can run circles around a giant team of B and C players." When you combine your superpower with the superpowers of the people you hire, you can literally change the world.
Related: Hiring for Your Startup: 3 Tips to Find the Right People
Their smarts will rub off and make YOU smarter.
You should look at the people you hire as mentors and teachers. You are hiring them for their skills, so let them shine and learn from them while they do it. Keep an open mind and encourage them to show you new ways of thinking and executing. Not only will you get the best out of them, ultimately making your business more successful, but they will also feel an amazing sense of fulfillment knowing their contributions raised the bar for both the company and you.
You will make them better.
You should surround yourself with people who can contribute beyond the short term; they should have a place in the company for years. If you hire smart people, in addition to the benefits you will reap, they will reap the same benefits from YOU. Your skills and superpowers will make them smarter. If you teach them these principles early on the cycle will repeat as they become leaders. Once this happens you are well on your way towards building a great and enduring company that will thrive for years.
