This is simple. But powerful.

When the time comes to make your next hire, simply ask yourself one key question, before you make an offer.

‘Will this person raise our average?’

That’s it.

Ask yourself, and ask the other hiring managers involved.

If we hire this person, will she raise the average across all our staff?

Average of what?

The average of things that count. Energy. Ethics. Skill. Attitude. Network. Sales savvy. Niceness.

Whatever it is that is important to you, and your business.

Will this new hire raise the ‘mean employee score’?

Of course, it’s not empirical. No science here. But you will know the answer as soon as you ask the question.

And if you are hiring to ‘fill a gap’, if you are hiring on the basis that  ‘he is the best of a bad bunch’, if you are hiring ‘to give it go’, or if you are hiring when deep down you know this is not a fit, or at least a giant gamble, then asking this question will shine a light on the mistake you are about to make.

Why would you hire any other way? Are we adding people to dumb our business down? Do you really want to hire this person, just so you can make your business that little bit worse?

I think not.

Only ever add a person if she or he ‘raises the average’

Then, every new person you bring on, makes your business better, not weaker.