We need to make our first external executive hire to lead our operations, but our business has always been run by a tight knit group of early employees. How do we define the seat and vet candidates so we do not end up with an expensive corporate misfit?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Hiring your first external executive is a critical milestone that often fails because founders hire for pedigree rather than cultural fit and alignment with the seat. To avoid a costly mistake, you must first define the seat on your Accountability Chart before you look at any resumes.

Do not hire a generic executive. Instead, clearly define the five major roles this person will own. Once you have documented the seat, use the GWC framework to evaluate every candidate:

- Do they truly get the seat, meaning they understand the unique challenges of a scaling, entrepreneurial environment?
- Do they want the seat, showing genuine passion for the work rather than just seeking a corporate paycheck?
- Do they have the capacity, meaning they possess the mental, emotional, and physical capability to do the job?

Next, vet candidates ruthlessly against your core values. A highly capable executive who does not share your core values will quickly destroy trust and create political silos on your leadership team.

Finally, understand their conative strengths by administering the Kolbe A Index. If you need a leader to build scalable processes, hiring a high Quick Start who avoids detail will lead to execution failure. You need someone with the natural conative drive to organize and systematize your operations.