Key Insights

• The A-method: Scorecard → Source → Select → Sell. Smart and Street’s hiring system in four steps: (1) define success precisely before you look at anyone, (2) source proactively rather than waiting for applications, (3) select using a structured chronological interview process, (4) sell the right candidates on why they should join. Most hiring failures happen because one of these steps is skipped or done poorly.
• The Scorecard — define what “great” looks like before interviewing. The scorecard has three parts: Mission (what does this role exist to accomplish?), Outcomes (3-5 specific measurable things the person must achieve in year one), and Competencies (the behaviors required to achieve those outcomes). The scorecard is the objective standard against which every candidate is evaluated. Without it, interviewers default to gut feel.
• The Topgrading interview — chronological, comprehensive, referenced. The structured interview walks through each career chapter with consistent questions: what were you hired to do, what accomplishments are you most proud of, what were the low points, how would your manager rate you when you leave. The critical question: “How will your last five managers rate your performance on a 1-10 scale when we talk to them?” — the reference-call threat produces candor.
• 90% confidence as the hiring bar. The standard: would 90% of people who tried this role fail at it, and are you 90% confident this person would not? This is deliberately high — it forces discipline and prevents the “good enough” hire that costs more than a longer search.
• Reference calls are not optional — and you choose the references. Smart and Street insist on 4-7 references, sourced from the Topgrading interview (not chosen by the candidate), including a mix of managers, peers, and direct reports. The questions mirror the interview: strengths, areas for improvement, numerical rating, specific probes from the interview. Reading between the lines — hesitation, vagueness, conspicuous omissions — is as important as what’s said.
• Source before you need. The best candidates are rarely actively looking. Proactive sourcing — asking every strong person in your network “who are the most talented people I should be talking to?” — builds a pipeline before a seat opens. Smart firms require managers to source candidates as part of their normal responsibilities, not only when a role is open.

— Drafted from external sources; review and edit to make your own.

From earlier notes:

Notes from the book

https://www.amazon.com/Who-Method-Hiring-Geoff-Smart-ebook/dp/B001EL6RWY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

General

• Bar: 90 percent confidence that the person can do the job that only 10 percent of candidates could do
• Four steps to the hire
  1. Scorecard
  2. Sourcing
  3. Selecting
  4. Selling
• Scorecard - define clearly what success looks like - Mission - exec summary to clarify need - Outcomes - Specific achievable things - ==Competencies - what’s needed to achieve those things == - Evaluating - what really matters - Heinz: Chemistry, commitment, coachable, ego in check, intellect

  [!note]+ Others

  • ==Can generate penetrating insights==
  • High standards
  • Efficiency of output
  • Integrity
  • Earns trust and maintains confidence
  • Organization and planning
  • Speaks plainly
  • Moves quickly, aggressive
  • Lives up to commitments
  • Learns quickly
  • Proficiently learns new
  • Analytical skills to process and draw insights from data
  • Attention to detail - won’t let things slip
  • Tenacity, willingness to go the distance
  • Brings new ideas
  • Proactivity
  • Coaching
  • Adjusts quickly to new condition s
  • Calm under pressure
  • Strategic thinking and communication
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Enthusiasm
  • Work ethic
  • Listening skills
  • Openness to criticism / new ideas
  • Speaks and writes clearly
  • Teamwork
  • Persuasion

Sourcing

• Ask people “who are the most talented people you know that I should hire”
• Your expanded networks are always your best source of talent
• “==Source __ great candidates” as a requirement for promotion==

Selecting: screens, topgrader, focus interviews

• Screening call -
  • “I’m going to use the first portion to get to know you, then let you get to know us - sound good”
  • Four key repeatable questions
  • What are your career goals
    • (give them the first word, ==look for clarity and passion== )
  • What are you really good at professionally
    • Push for 8-12 candidates, and push for examples
  • What are you not so good at or not interested in
    • “that sounds like a strength..what are you really not good at” - ” what will your references say”
    • Push for 5-8 real ones
  • ==Who were your last 5 bosses and how will they each rate your performance 1-10 scale== when we talk to them
    • Ask for details and explanation
    • Look for 8+
  • Ask “what, how or why or tell me more” questions to follow up
• **Topgrading interview **
  • Go through each step in their career (starting with education) with some consistent questions
    • What were you hired to do
    • What accomplishments are you most proud of
      • Get the stories behind the resume statements
    • What were some low points
    • Who did you work with? Specifically your boss (how do you spell that?) What will they tell me are your biggest strengths and weaknesses
      • What was it like working with them?
    • How would you rate the team when you came in? When you left?
    • Why and how did you leave that job?
  • Look for
    • Data points to line up with your scorecard, or not
    • Specificity and awareness of
    • Outcomes linked to goals, rather than just activities
    • Awareness of and respect for previous relationships
    • Did they leave in a way that shows growth or success, or limitations?
  • Conducting well
    • ==Allocate 90 minutes for junior positions, 3 hours on average, 5 hours for senior ==
    • Someone senior (CEO or hiring mgr) conducts to get all the data + someone else joins /shadows
    • “this will be diff..chrono,..for each going to ask 5 questions…”
    • Master tactics
      • Interrupting - have to. It will take too long otherwise. You know what you need to know more than them. move them to it. (Do it well - use reflective listening, positive, and deflect to next / previous thing)
      • 3 PS - to clarify
        • How did your performance compare to previous years , to plan, to peers ?
      • Push vs pull. Don’t hire ppl who were pushed out of 20% of jobs
      • Picture - empathic imagination of details. Put yourself in their shoes and try to fully understanding
      • Stopping at stop signs - look for signs of cover ups or more detail and dig
• Focus interview
  • Involve other team members and focus on new things
  • Focus on [fill in key competency of outcome to be focused on]
    • What are your biggest accomplishment in this area?
    • What are your insights about your biggest failures, etc in this area
    • Get curious and ask follow-ups on these
  • Look for
    • Clear proof of scorecard alignment
    • Final gauge of cultural fit
• Interview slate
  • Prep/prebrief (interview team reviews)
  • Intro
  • Topgrader
  • Focus interviews
  • Closing and next steps
  • Review and decision
• Reference calls
  • Don’t skimp, these are critical
  • Pick your own (from topgrading) and ask candidate to set up, don’t let them choose
  • 4-7 references, mix of peers, managers, subordinates
    • What work did you do with them.
    • Biggest strnghts
    • Biggest areas for improvements (back then)
    • Rate on 1-10 scale. Why?
    • They said they struggled with X, can you tell me about that
  • Can jog their memory with things from topgrading interview and open up new things
  • Read between the lines, connect dots from interview and ask for more

Selecting

==- skill and will decision (can they and will they do it) on each outcome==

• Rate on each competency required on the scorecard
• 90 percent confidence in skill and will match
• Red flags- takes too much credit, not aware of failures, more interested in comp, tries to look like expert, talk poorly of boss/colleagues, too much need to win,

Sell

• ==show you care about fit for them, and it will differente from those who only attend to fit for us==

• Other