On the Road Again: Getting and Keeping the Right People on the Bus

I read the book Good to Great, by Jim Collins, 20 years ago. It made such an impact on me that I have re-read it many times over the years.

 Of the dozens of key tips this book offers, the lesson that most stuck out for me was the idea that you need to get the right people on your bus.

To make a good company great (or even a mediocre company better), you must hire the right people. This is the highest priority. If you don’t get this right, little else matters.

But I have often wondered, how do you get the right people on the bus? And once you get them there, how do you keep them?

After all this time, I think the answer is fairly simple: The right people believe what you believe and also feel a sense of stability and support.

I have previously written about the importance of knowing the reason why your organization exists. In other words, you need to have a clear vision, and everything you say and everything you do must align with that vision.

You can’t get the right people on the bus if you don’t even know what bus you’re on. Make sure your ‘why’ or your vision is very clear.

Then hire people who believe in your vision.

People will work hard if they are doing something they believe in, and many people want to do something that has meaning. A sense of meaning differs from person to person. Find the people who jive or resonate with yours.

Once you think you’ve found these people - and this is not likely to be an easy task – provide mentorship.

Show the new hires what it means to be part of your organization.

Don’t leave it to the newbies to figure it out. Pick your best people and assign them to a mentorship role. Cultivate a healthy and positive work culture, based around shared values and shared expectations. Mentorship can’t help but do this.

Mentorship also gives people a sense of support. Within a community, people know who they can turn to if they are unsure.

Everyone wants to be successful; they just need a little help knowing how. Give support and community, and people will rise to expectation.

Lastly, be consistent.

Create as much stability and consistency as possible. This should be easy if your ‘why’ and ‘how’ are clearly aligned.

Make the workflow, compensation practices, and other day-to-day experiences transparent and clear. Take the guesswork out of the equation. Set people up for success.

Create best practices and exemplars so people know what they are reaching for. Again, it is easier for people to succeed if they know what success looks like.

Shift from individual short-term performance metrices to longer-term team-based goals. This creates a feeling that we are all in it together – a community with support.

There are many reasons why businesses succeed or fail.

But you are likely to succeed if you get the right people on the bus. Hire for fit and attitude. You can always train for skill. 

Then, keep these employees on the bus by cultivating a satisfying work environment where people feel supported and valued.

With these key components, your organization can’t help but succeed.

P.s. If you would like support to creating processes that can make these key components happen, we are here to help. Free 30-minute consultations are available.