We need to bring in our first truly seasoned, corporate-grade executive to run our operations, but we do not know how to evaluate if an outside heavy hitter can actually work inside an entrepreneurial environment without destroying our agility. What is the process for vetting this?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Vetting a corporate-grade executive for an entrepreneurial environment requires you to look past their pedigree and focus entirely on behavioral alignment. Many big-company executives are used to having massive support staffs, large budgets, and established processes. When they enter an entrepreneurial environment running on EOS, they often suffer from execution shock because they have to roll up their sleeves and actually do the work themselves.

First, evaluate them strictly against your core values. If they do not match your culture, the hire is doomed from day one regardless of their resume. Second, use the GWC tool to assess if they truly get, want, and have the capacity to do the job. Ask behavioral questions that force them to describe times they had to build something from scratch without administrative support.

Finally, explain your operating system upfront. Let them know that you run on EOS and expect everyone on the leadership team to attend weekly Level 10 Meetings, own Rocks, and be accountable for hard numbers on the Scorecard. If they balk at this level of visibility, they are not the right fit for your growing company.