TIPS FOR THE FIRST-TIME USER BE PREPARED to devote time and attention to the exercise. And, no, 15 minutes is not what it takes to hire someone to fill in your big shoes. Interviews will especially need quality time—by that, we mean, cell phones on the silent mode, all fires at work left to be solved by others, and zero signs of impatience. THINK CLEARLY about whether you want someone to replace you, or complement you. Then fill the position accordingly in the organisation chart, and study the impact of that new position in terms of reporting and deliverables. Remember, you cannot have a parallel court running in the same organisation.
The Right Fit Don’t hunt for a clone. Devote time and attention to identify the ideal candidate for your big shoes.
this person, nor do they have clear answers about the hire’s responsibilities. “That’s when we doubt whether he’s even serious about the mandate,” adds Sachar. Other favourites are: “You know what a CEO should be. You hire them all the time.” That’s when Sachar and his team know that they need to lay down the ground rules of engagement. “We tell them upfront what is possible and what isn’t,” adds he. Unlike searches given out by multinational firms, where the rules of the game
are clear, hiring professionals for promoter-run businesses requires time and patience. The service provider usually establishes its understanding of the search business, and that it knows what it would take for professionals to be successful in an entrepreneurial environment. Then, the search firm has to work with the promoter to simply define what the deliverables are going to be from the hire. Simple questions, such as “how will you
BE CLEAR why you want the professional. Is it for the experience, the global mind set, his exposure to processes and systems at world-class companies, and so on. The new hire will have to become your change agent, and therefore, should match the skills needed to bring the change you are thinking about.
measure that the hire turned out to be good?” or, “how will the organisation change once this position gets added to the org chart?” can lead the promoter in the right direction. Sometimes, simply making the posthire reality obvious to entrepreneurs can bring their intentions to fore. “We name a position and tell the promoter that this person will hereafter report to the new hire. Those reactions are very important since bringing people from outside will change working relationships, and the environment,” explains Sachar.
“I go by my gut. I can sense immediately what a property wants to be, or what vibe will work best. I only get to spend 10 per cent on what I like to do. The rest is spent doing CEO stuff.”
— Riyaaz Amlani, Co-founder, Impresario Hospitality
FEBRUARY 2011
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