Making good hiring decisions is one of those areas which is so darn costly when done incorrectly. It can be so difficult to consider all the factors:

1. Does the candidate fit our corporate culture
2. Does their personality match those already on the team
3. How will their unique skill set combine with those of the existing team
4. Will they challenge the status quo and creatively improve performance & profit
5. Where will the fall-out occur if this isn’t a good fit
6. What if the team is unwilling to accept the new-hire
7. What kind of on-boarding will be necessary to help the new-hire succeed

These are just a few of the questions to consider, and yet, they barely skim the surface when important decisions need to be made, particularly at crucial times in business development and growth. One of the ways we can make the right decisions is to look at current successes and blunders of leaders & their teams. We’ve had quite a few excellent examples in the very recent news to evaluate:

1) Conan O’Brien lets his staff know that changes are pending, but that he’s got their back and to prove such, he’s worked a severance deal that includes over 200 of his staffers. Certainly a popular guy right about now. Would you want to bring in a ‘Conan’ to your team?

2) Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda apologizes briefly for a mistake that affects millions of cars and undoubtedly millions of dollars for the company founded by Toyoda’s grandfather. Yet, where’s the team? Fresh-on-the-scene US Toyota leaders speak out as well, but the automaker is not sending a message of unity and from the scarce and well overdue appearance of Toyoda, it seems as though it’s uncertain who is actually managing this dire problem. Would you want to bring in an ‘Akio Toyoda’ to your team?

3) John Edwards staff member goes above and beyond the call of duty (an understatement at best). At what point does leadership adversely affect the career of team members. Who really wins here?, and who are the losers? Would you want a ‘John Edwards’ leading the team and putting his staff in unthinkably awkward situations, or for that matter, would you really want an ‘Andrew Young’ on your team?

Examples to learn from… Hiring decisions are not to be taken lightly, nor made hastily.