Stop Hiring Yourself: The Leadership Mistake That Slowly Weakens a Company
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make isn’t hiring the wrong people. It’s hiring just people who think exactly like they do.
It feels natural. We all enjoy working with people who see the world the same way we do. Conversations are easier, decisions come faster, and there is less disagreement. On the surface, that sounds like a recipe for success.
The problem is that over time, everyone starts looking at problems the same way. They notice the same opportunities, overlook the same risks, and come to the same conclusions. The company becomes an echo chamber. It may feel like everyone is on the same page, but in reality, everyone is reading from the same book.
You want your company to have long-term success? Make sure it’s not hiring all “yes” employees. A company is built to last, because different people challenge each other in ways that make the final decision better.
My Biggest Strength Is Also My Biggest Weakness
I’m a classic “D” personality, with a fair amount of “C” sprinkled in. Definitely an unusual combination. Give me info, and let’s decide.
For me, indecision is painful. I need you to give me enough information to understand the situation and then, let’s make a decision. Are we doing it or not? We don’t need three more meetings to talk about the same thing. We don’t need another spreadsheet if the answer isn’t going to change.
I’ve always believed that making a good decision today is usually better than making the perfect decision next month.
My mindset is, let’s evaluate, test and get it done if it makes sense. The goal is always to make sure the Pinnacle team is ahead of the curve and not just reacting to others.
That mindset has served me well, but it has also taught me something important.
Moving quickly is a strength. Moving too quickly can become a weakness if you’re not careful.
The answer isn’t slowing down and trying to become someone I’m not. The answer was to work together with the team who naturally fill in the gaps.
The People Who Drive You Crazy Are 100% Necessary
Take the “I” personality.
I joke that they all have Shiny Object Syndrome.
A new AI tool comes out. A competitor launches something. Someone mentioned a marketing trend they saw online in some Facebook group.
Immediately they’re saying, “We should be doing that.”
They aren’t thinking about the budget yet. They haven’t figured out the return on investment. They don’t always have a plan at that point.
The C part of me, I’ll be honest, that can drive me a bit crazy at times.
But here’s what I’ve realized. If every person in the room thought like me, we probably wouldn’t hear about many of those opportunities in the first place. Someone has to be looking around the corner and look for those new ideas to make something better or start something brand new.
Innovation usually starts with someone asking, “What if?”
Every Customer Needs an “S”
Then there are the S personalities.
These are the people every company needs but rarely gives enough credit.
When a customer calls because they can’t find an email, an S doesn’t say, “I already sent that yesterday.”
They simply say, “No problem. Let me send it again.”
They’re patient when other people are frustrated. They stay calm when emotions are high. They genuinely want to help.
You can build the best product in the world, but customers don’t remember your internal processes. They remember how your company made them feel.
More often than not, that’s the work of an S.
The “C” Doesn’t Slow You Down. They Keep You Out of Trouble.
Then we come to the C personalities. A high straight C are those with analysis paralysis.
If the D says, “I think this is a good idea,” the C says, “Maybe. Let’s make sure, think about it, have another meeting to get everyone’s opinion, again, think about it some more.”
They’re the ones digging through the details, comparing vendors, reviewing contracts, building spreadsheets, calculating costs, and finding risks that everyone else missed.
I’ll admit it. There have been times I’ve looked at a high C and thought, “Can we just make a decision already?”
But experience has a funny way of changing your perspective.
Many of the mistakes I never had to fix were only avoided because a C found them before they became my problem.
Will a C always be the person making the final decision? Probably not. If they’re only 98 percent sure, they’re still thinking about the other two percent.
That’s where someone like me comes back into the picture.
The C gives me confidence that we’ve asked the right questions. Neither one of us is enough by ourselves.
Leadership Needs All Types
One of the biggest changes in my own leadership has been realizing that I don’t need everyone to think like I do.
In fact, I don’t want them to.
The D creates momentum. The I creates possibilities. The S creates trust. The C creates confidence.
Take away any one of those personalities and the business becomes weaker.
Imaging your Medicare business where you never explored a new lead program. You didn’t want to take the time to learn how to cross sell a new product line. Or learn a new CRM that could possibly scale your business.
You need that “I” to say “hey, we need to do this, we are missing the boat”. You need the “C” to get the details, processes, costs and benefit analysis. You need the “S” to support the new vertical. And you need the “D” to say, “yes, we are going to do it, so everyone better buckle up”.
Knowledge Gained, Lessons Learned
That’s what leadership really is. It’s not surrounding yourself with people who make you comfortable. It’s surrounding yourself with people who make your decisions better.
The next time someone on your team frustrates you because they don’t approach a problem or an opportunity the way you would, stop for a minute before assuming they’re wrong or being a pain or just don’t like you or value your opinion.
They may be seeing something you don’t.
And that perspective might be the reason your next decision becomes a success instead of a failure.
The more experienced I get, the less interested I am in proving that my way is the right way. I’d much rather be part of a team where someone else’s strength covers one of my blind spots.
Where input from everyone gets the organization the best possible result, in a timely manner of course.
Bob Brzyski
Vice President of Marketing
