The Best CEO Insurance Plan

Credentials Don’t Solve Business Problems, Problem-Solvers Do
Some of the smartest people you meet may have credentials, and some may not have credentials. How many times have you met someone who has a degree/credential in one area, but is working in the complete opposite field? A hundred years ago, higher levels of education were available to the rich, predominantly. In today’s corporate arena, it is almost unheard of to hire someone that has no college degree. This shift has caused individuals to seek out degrees instead of learning how to solve real-life problems in the business world.

Some of the smartest “business decision-makers” have little or no credentials. Many of these are small business owners that are solving real business problems on a daily basis without the ‘latest and greatest’ credentials offered by the professional world. Just how important are the small business owners? The statistics give a more accurate depiction of this point. Consider the Small Business Administration’s statistic on private firms; small businesses provide jobs for over half of the nation’s private workforce, and small businesses are job creators accounting for over 99% of all firms (www.sba.gov).

Just think in your own mind, how many of those small business owners have great and recognized degrees/credentials. Most of the successful small business owners I know have no credentials and are well off. When hiring someone, it is not always best to hire someone that has the credentials, rather, hire someone that can solve real business problems and offers solutions.

Hire problem-solvers!


Mistake: Not Hiring Out Of The Box Thinkers
This point holds especially true when a business needs to grow. Don’t get me wrong though, all growing companies will need in-the-box thinkers to handle the monotonous tasks that need to be completed in everyday business activities. However, most often overlooked by hiring managers are the out-of-the-box thinkers that cannot only perform the job required, but a step further as well. A step further says that when business is transacted, all business activity is subject to improving upon. In our global economy, growing businesses cannot afford to ignore improving upon the company’s pre-existing business model. For example: an out-of-the-box thinker, in the course of their work would say, “wait a minute, there is a better way to handle this situation when it arises again…” instead of saying, “well, that’s not my job and I’m not paid to think about how to improve this business, it’s not my responsibility.” Most people that think like this feel like they have no duty to improve the business because improving the business will do them no good. On the contrary, I have worked in a company where good ideas are recognized and rewarded with compensation in the form of a bonus.

HR may assist in the administration of hiring, but only you know what and who is the best fit to obtain the position, and my guess, it’s the person that sees beyond their own box.


Management By Walking Around
Managers/Owners of a business can greatly benefit by this style: managing by walking around. Do a lot of professionals know about this style? Yes. Is it practiced as much as it should? Probably not. The most likely reason is because managers may think, ‘since the business world has gone mostly to electronic communication, walking around and giving “face-time” is inefficient and time consuming so why not send out a mass email to those that work under me?” Thinking this way will not only make your clients feel neglected and as if your time is more valuable than theirs, it will also create an environment of less accountability because you’re never seen by your employees.

In the long run, ignoring employees will yield unhappy employees.

Unhappy employees will yield no passion for their work.

No passion for their work will yield poor work product.

Poor work product will eventually lead to the downfall of the company.

No company means, no job and no paycheck. Trying to please everyone is impossible, but managing by walking around sure does help.

Solution: come out from behind the keyboard and at a minimum, be “seen” by employees and customers. For greatness to be achieved, management must provide an environment of greatness.