I need to make my first true external leadership hire to run our operations, but I am terrified of bringing in a corporate executive who will ruin our entrepreneurial culture. How do I vet them?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Bringing an outsider into an entrepreneurial leadership team is a major risk, but it is necessary to scale. The biggest mistake founders make is hiring for resume pedigree rather than alignment. A corporate VP from a massive company might look incredible on paper, but they often struggle in an environment where they have to roll up their sleeves and build their own systems instead of just managing them.

To vet your first real leadership hire, use the Accountability Chart and your core values. First, define the exact seat they will occupy. Do they GWC, meaning do they Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do the job? If they expect a huge support staff to handle basic execution, they do not have the capacity for your current stage.

Second, screen ruthlessly for your core values. Do not compromise. If they do not share your core values, they will quickly poison your culture, no matter how talented they are.

Finally, look at their conative strengths using the Kolbe A Index. If you are hiring an operations leader, you likely need someone who is natural at creating order out of chaos, meaning they should have strong follow through. Avoid hiring someone who has the exact same instinctive profile as you. You do not need another visionary who thrives on chaos. You need someone who installs discipline, builds repeatable processes, and helps you prepare for a clean, highly valued exit.