Imagine staffing a 200-foot ship with a crew on which everyone is a brilliant navigator, but no one knows how to cook, clean, maintain the engines, or make arrangements with shore-based partners such as food providers or must-see destinations. Even a team of geniuses would struggle, proving that raw intelligence cannot replace essential skills.

The magic lies not just in the individual brilliance of each team member, but in the strategic ensemble of their skills. It’s crucial to devise a strategy that pinpoints the critical capabilities and behaviors your team needs to thrive.

As a simple example, across an entire leadership team, you might identify that you need members who are:

– Detail-oriented and process-driven
– Aggressive and revenue-driven
– Relationship and service-oriented
– Creative and innovative
– Adept at systems thinking
– Both similar and dissimilar to your approach

Starting with this comprehensive outlook enables you to refine your hiring strategy. It’s about asking not just, “Is this candidate exceptionally talented?” but also, “Do they bring the essential skills and perspectives that our team is missing?” This strategic approach ensures that your team is not just talented, but also complete, balanced, and well prepared to face any challenge.