A Great Employee is 10X as Valuable as Good – How to Find One

A great employee can contribute to your business that 10 good employees combined cannot do. Behind a successful business owner there is a strong lieutenant who stands by him every step of the way and is not afraid to give right advice even if it means disagreeing with the owner. If there is one thing you must do to succeed in your business it is to hire great employees, even if it means paying more, and give them freedom to do the best. The return you get from them makes it more than worth.
Of course, hiring great employees is easier said than done. But it is possible to do it and it starts with spotting the right person. You first need to understand what sets great employees apart from the mediocre ones. One hint – it all starts with attitude. I mentioned in earlier post that when hiring employees you should first look for attitude, not the skills. You can teach old dog new tricks, but you will not be able to straighten its tail, as the saying goes in India. So what skills do great employees have that are not easily found in others?

• They are self-motivated. Great employees do not sit round waiting to be told to do their job. They will spot opportunities for improvement themselves and work on them without waiting for directions.
• They do not just play by the book. They do not consult their job description when asked to do certain tasks. Adaptability and flexibility are the virtues they possess that enable them to do whatever it is they are required to do.
• They are a strong team player. While great employees are great by themselves they also bring the best out of others by working as a team. Netflix has a motto when hiring employees that says – “no brilliant jerks allowed.” You can be a great quarterback, but if you cannot get along with other players you are not going score any points.
• They think like owner, not employee. Great employees take ownership of the tasks and the business rather than treating their employment as a job. They don’t need much adult supervision. They will act the same way when you are not around to keep a watch on them as when you are working with them.
• They don’t hesitate to tell the truth. It is easy to find employees who will agree with you every step of the way. But these are not kind of employees you should be looking for. Great employees will give the right advice, even if it means disagreeing with you or arguing with you.

Now that you know what to look for in great employees, look at these tips to hire best employees. Also, don’t forget that this is two-way street. Just as your goal is to find great employees, their goal is to find great employer. You are not going to be able to hire and keep great employees for too long if you are not doing your part. I have explained why star employees leave their employers in earlier post. Make sure you do your part by giving them your best just as they are doing the same.