Hire them for their attitude, then train them for their skills.

This is a truism that I find very powerful, and explains many of the employees who worked out well or … didn’t so much. The fact is that we’re acquiring new skills all the time, and the need for certain job skills is constantly changing.

In the end peoples’ attitude is what means they’ll thrive in your organization or not. But there’s more subtlety to this than I first expected.

Peoples’ attitude towards work and life is very much tied into whether they’ll fit into the group culture. Some groups are quite aggressive, others methodical and careful. Some prioritize the results of the group over the individual. Some pay attention to emotional states, like having fun, over being serious.

Here’s the caution, though: Seeking people who “fit in” can end up reducing the diverse thinking and creative approaches.

So we end up with a bit of a quandary. We want people who “fit in” with certain attributes, while also bringing an approach which will compel the group to grow and change.

As a leader, you can ask yourself: What would be the next attribute which will help us move forward? If you’re feeling that the group might just be a touch too complacent, then let’s bring in someone who isn’t so satisfied with the status quo. A challenger.

Yes, that may cause some tension in the group. But with your support, the group will start to think of this as a good (or necessary) thing, and adjust a little.

Get that? Your support of the behaviors you want to have change is crucial to this working.

Your people are watching.