Why It Is Ok To Hire People Smarter Than You by Mark Wager

Why It Is Ok To Hire People Smarter Than You

By Mark Wager

Imagine this scenario, a rugby team is getting ready for an upcoming tournament and the coach has to decide who is going to play. The coach then decides to not pick the best players saying that he doesn’t want players that are too good because they will just leave, he doesn’t want players that are too experienced because they will get bored and he doesn’t want anyone better than him because they will go after his job. Such  a response would cause outrage among the supporters. It would be unthinkable that someone wouldn’t want the best players from their team but that is exactly what is happening in many businesses around the world. There are many capable people who are being denied jobs not because they lack skills or motivation but because some Managers make the fundamental mistake of not hiring people smarter than themselves. In this weeks article I want to explore some of the reasons Managers raise for not hiring experienced and more skilled knowledgeable staff.

It’s ok that people leave 

“Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” - Sir Richard Branson 

The most common reason that I hear is that some Managers believe that if they hire someone smarter than themselves then they will leave as soon as they get a better job. Well ! here’s the truth. The present workplace is very different to what it was 20 or 30 years ago. It’s incredibly rare that people see any job as a lifetime commitment. The reality is that they leave if they feel that they and their family are better off by moving to a new  role, and that’s okay.

The Managers focus shouldn’t be on when people will leave but instead the quality of work they produce while they are working with you and when they leave which everyone will eventually leave you use that fact that they went for a better job as a marketing tool to attract the most qualified replacements. The main reason people stay in a job long term is because they can’t get a better job elsewhere. If you want to be successful then you need to hire the best people possible and do your best to keep them and if they do leave wish them well and recruit a suitable replacement.

It’s okay to hire mature people

‘You are never too old to become younger” - Mae West 

Let me highlight a misconception that many Managers have. They believe that motivation, desire and innovation are qualities that only belong to the young. I can tell you now that this is completely wrong. There are many studies out there that look at motivation within workplaces in which they interview a range of employees across a multitude of companies and what they found was age did impact a persons motivation level but typically the most motivated individuals within a company were the more mature employees and not the younger ones.

The more mature team members tend to have a better work/life balance so were less stressed at work. They also tended to get less involved in office politics so avoided getting caught up in disagreements between team members or idle gossip. The more mature employees were less likely to apply for promotions but not because of a lack of ambition but more that they were happy doing what they were doing and didn’t need a change in role. Never allow a persons age to stop you from hiring them. Focus on how well they can do the job and not on how many grey hairs they have.

It’s okay if people want your job 

‘Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them.” - Napoleon 

Ambition is a desirable quality to possess and if you hire people to be part of your team who possess this quality then it’s only good news. Ambitious people if coached correctly can be the most proactive and hardworking members of the team and that ambition means they will eventually want the job Managers job. So the Manager in question needs to reward such ambition rather than punish people for it. 

If you are a Manger you need to realise that the quality of your team reflects on you. If people within your team get promoted then that makes the Manager look good and this is  likely to create career opportunities for the Manager. While ambition is a desirable quality insecurity is something that is unwanted but is common within Managers who decline to hire people that they believe are smarter than they are. Instead they need to stop pushing people down and start lifting people up because the Manager can only win when the team wins 

It’s okay to hire people smarter than you 

“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do, we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do” - Steve Jobs

While the world economy on the brink of a global recession we are starting to see businesses all around us fail and as a result very capable people are finding themselves without a job. If you are a Manager and you are lucky enough to be able to recruit new people then you have the amazing opportunity to attract incredibly smart people so don’t waste this opportunity because you are worried about them getting bored and leaving.  Don’t think they are too old or too ambitious because if you do you will miss out on people who can add a lot of value to your team. 

I’m often asked about what is the secret of having a highly effective team and I always tell them the first step is to hire the smartest people possible. It would be unthinkable not to pick the best players for a rugby team so why would it be any different in the business world.

‘It’s all about finding and hiring people smarter than you. Getting them to join your business and giving them good work. Then getting out of their way and trusting them. You have to get out of the way so you can focus on the bigger vision. Its important and here’s the main thing. You must make them see their work as a mission’ - Sir Richard Branson 

About the Author

A strong believer in taking complex leadership & psychological theories and making them accessible to people regardless of their background, education or industry Mark has helped develop Leaders from some of the Asia-Pacific region’s top organisations such as Amnesty International, NZ Red Cross, Habitat, Heartland Bank, the NZ Rugby League, the Blues, the Catholic Church, Weta workshops and many more.

Are you a manager struggling with poor-performing staff, team motivation, or effective delegation? As an experienced leadership Coach with over 30 thirty years managerial experience Mark Wager specialises in helping managers like you tackle these challenges head-on. Imagine transforming your team’s performance, boosting morale, and mastering delegation, so you’re not shouldering all the work. With tailored strategies and personalised support, Mark will empower you to lead with confidence and ease. 

Work together to unlock your full potential and create a thriving, productive workplace. Reach out today and take the first step towards exceptional leadership. Contact Mark for a free 30 minute strategy session