Hire Your Complement, Not Your Clone

When questioning a job candidate in an interview, how do you determine what is a good or a bad answer? By what standard are your measuring the candidate's responses? If the standard is you (how you would answer the question, how you would solve that problem, how you would take on that opportunity), then you are most likely jeopardizing your team's performance.

 

It is a natural human bias to think that my way is the right way. We tend to feel that our approach to the world makes the most sense; therefore, people who share this approach are -- in our minds -- equally sensible! Dangerously, most people carry over this natural bias into their hiring decisions...and they hire their clone.

 

The problem with hiring your clone, especially within a small organization, is that it brings redundant effort into your business. Why duplicate your contribution, when you have an opportunity to bring in other, outside talents? It is as impractical as buying a second coffee maker for your home, when you already have a perfectly well-functioning one! The other problem with hiring your clone is that it leads to a culture of groupthink. If you are unfamiliar with this term, I encourage you to run a quick Internet search (it is well worth knowing about). But in a few words, groupthink occurs when group members, in an effort to drive for consensus, either purposely or unknowingly drive out alternative perspectives. The result is a "cohesive" group that makes very faulty, self-serving decisions. To ward off this condition in your team, it is critical to avoid hiring your clone.

 

So if it is bad to hire your clone, who do you hire?

 

The answer is quite simple: hire your complement. (Important note: your complement is not your opposite. Hiring your opposite leads to conflict.) Hiring your complement means bringing new talent into the organization and, if done right, should make you and the other team members slightly uncomfortable. Remember that a devil's advocate is healthy. Also, the key strategy behind hiring your complement is to create a balance of strengths. Synergy comes from a diversity of talents, not duplicated ones.

 

As you conduct the next interview, be sure to keep in mind that if the candidate answers the questions exactly as you would - he is most likely not right for your team.