Why Resilience Matters More Than Ever In Today's Hiring World (And How It Defines the Qualities of a Good Employee)
Your business is only as strong as your weakest employees.
That's why if you don't know the qualities of a good employee, your hiring efforts are doomed to fail with the wrong type of people.
You know one of these types.
The complainers, the whiners, those who throw in the towel at the first sight of adversity. The ones who'd rather moan about a bit of grease on their pants than get the job done.
But let me introduce you to someone different:
What is one of the top qualities of a good employee? The 'Scrappier.'
My People Operations Manager stumbled on the idea when discussing our recruiting efforts and all the talent she had interviewed.
She realized we needed Scrappiers. These people are resilient, hard-working, and rarely grumble about minor disturbances.
They appreciate every opportunity like a thirsty man appreciates water in the desert. Now, don't confuse me. This isn't just about finding the hardest worker or those who can pull an all-nighter.
No, resilience and grit extend far beyond that.
Your best employees will embrace and solve problems like an experienced pilot navigates through a storm.
How to hire a Scrappier.
Step 1: Define what scrappy and resilient means to you.
For me, it means someone who finds a way, even when confronted with a big challenge.
And they don't complain, point fingers, or need their ego stroked every step of the way. This is one of my company's core values, "We Accept Problems, Then Solve Them," so it's fitting. Scrappy people haven't been coddled with answers their whole careers. Nor do they like to be spoon-fed. They love a challenge.
The key is looking for people who aren't soft (I stubbed my toe, so now I can't work), complainers, or entitled whiners.
Step 2: Expand your hiring globally.
Look for scrappy and resilient places to hire from.
When people have it easy, they become soft. They get angry if their vanilla latte isn't delivered to their door by 8:59 am. They're deep in The Comfort Crisis.
There are plenty of amazing people all over the world who embrace discomfort — they live it. I have team members in South Africa whose electricity still shuts off (yet somehow, they still get internet with a small generator).
Look for compassionate, kind, and hard-working people.
Step 3: Be convinced of their scrappiness.
Kim Scott has a fantastic hiring tip:
"If you're not dying to hire somebody, don't make an offer."
It's really that simple, and you can test this by adopting Elon Musk's hands-on testing strategy.
Assign them a test (task or assignment) that closely matches the role and see how they work and behave for yourself.
It is always better to hire someone who shows you what they can do, not someone who tells you what they can do. You'll get a real-world view of their scrappiness.
Running a business is challenging.
It's not for the faint-hearted, and it's not for those who back down at the first sign of turbulence. You need some people on your crew who are as tough, resilient and focused as you are.
So start recruiting your Scrappiers. It's one of the best decisions you'll make.
