Recruit top talent

Whether you’re a founder of a startup, a young CEO or a veteran leader, if you have big plans, you have one job: Put together the strongest team possible. Here are three concrete ways to attract new top talent:

— Master the art of storytelling. Tell people what inspired you to start your business in the first place. Others will only follow you if you really leave them with the impression that you yourself are completely captivated by the opportunity you’re presenting.

— Don’t be a one-trick pony. Every potential employee is different, so the way you can best get your message across will vary. Considering the candidate’s background and personality will give you insight into how you should deliver your message.

— Never compromise. If in doubt, don’t hire. Your first hires are benchmarks for future hires; new candidates need to set the bar even higher.

(Adapted from 6 Ways to Recruit Superstar Talent to Your New Company, by Bastian Bergmann)

Keep an open mind

We often think of great leaders as having the conviction of their beliefs — they’re not pushovers. But the most successful leaders actually show a willingness to be persuaded. How can you do this, particularly on issues where you’re not objective?

— Keep your hand on the dial. When debating a decision, envision turning a dial: all the way to the right represents absolute certainty, and all the way to the left signifies none.

— Recall a moment of opacity, when you couldn’t see a situation clearly, or when something you were so sure was right turned out to be wrong. Whenever you’re feeling overly confident, remind yourself of that moment, and seek counsel.

— Kill your darlings. It can be tough to change your mind about long-held beliefs. But the quicker you acknowledge that an idea (even a beloved one) is unworkable, the sooner you’ll move on to the right course of action.

(Adapted from The Best Leaders Allow Themselves to Be Persuaded, by Al Pittampalli)

Gain control over worrying thoughts

You’re stuck in traffic. You’re going to miss your flight, and the game-changing meeting at the other end of it. Your presentation is poorly executed; you’re not going to win the new client. There goes the promotion, and maybe worse. If only these anxiety-inducing thoughts could be swatted away like so many pesky insects. The good news is that there is a way to gain control over them. Bring order to the chaos by making a list. Write down what you need to do and a plan to get it done. Tackle the distasteful tasks first to get them over with — procrastinating will only increase your anxiety. If your problem is not too much to do but too little (which can be even worse), seek out additional activities to stay busy and avoid brooding. Too much disorganised space, including mental space, can feel oddly oppressive.

(Adapted from Keeping Anxious Thoughts at Bay, by Whitney Johnson)

Make steady progress

It can be tempting to rely on deadline-induced adrenaline rushes to reach major work milestones. But how can you make productivity more habitual and sustainable? The first step is to understand that being productive means optimising your entire life. A well-designed personal life supports your efforts at work, and vice versa. For example, instead of eating alone at your desk, meet a colleague for lunch. Eating together will benefit both of your professional and personal lives. Next, when planning your to-do list, try to match the task to the amount of focus needed.

Schedule your most challenging work for when your energy levels are highest. Use short bursts of time well by having a list of ‘microgoals’ you can accomplish in your spare minutes throughout the week, such as booking that flight or writing that recommendation letter. By leveraging even short amounts of time, you can make steady progress on your most important goals.

(Adapted from 3 Productivity Tips You Can Start Using Today, by Dorie Clark)

Validate opponent’s point of view

When you’re in the middle of an argument, validating the person you’re arguing with is probably the last thing on your mind. But it should actually be your top priority. If you validate your counterpart’s perspective, expertise and feelings, you will keep the conflict focused on the issue. Use language that demonstrates that you value the other person’s perspective. I respect that’. You can also validate someone by repeating back to them what you heard them say: ‘From your perspective, this is about ...’ These tactics can reduce defensiveness and increase the speed with which you get to a mutually agreeable solution.

(Adapted from When an Argument Gets Too Heated, Here’s What to Say, by Liane Davey)

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, May 2nd, 2016