Why leaders should hire people smarter who are smarter than they are

Our culture often says that leaders should be the smartest person in the room - any room. This puts a lot of pressure on a leader to not hire someone who is smarter or more skilled in certain ways.

To do so is a mistake, for the employee, the leader, and the business.

David, Shaun and Mike discuss what stands in the way of making the best hiring decision, how to deal with those things, and why hiring the best person for the job isn't a threat to a leader's position.

Quotable:

SP: “Great leadership doesn’t mean you have to be the best trumpet player, the best flute player, or the best at the drums, it means you’re the conductor.”

DF: “Who you hire has a massive effect on company culture, and we all know that you can’t execute a great idea with bad culture.”

MM: “One of the stories we tell ourselves is that if I hire someone who is smarter than I am, I’ll lose my position, look bad, or lose my authority. That’s just not true.”