When in Doubt, Don’t Hire: What Jim Collins Got Right
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Happy Wednesday!
This week, we’re continuing our discussion on Chapter Three of Good to Great by Jim Collins—a chapter worth revisiting more than once. In it, Collins outlines three practical disciplines for building a great team. These disciplines reinforce the idea of being rigorous, not ruthless, when it comes to people decisions.
The Three Disciplines:
- When in doubt, don’t hire—keep looking.
- When you know you need to make a people change, act.
- Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems.
If you missed last week’s check-in, we explored the second discipline, emphasizing the importance of acting quickly when someone is the wrong fit. Waiting too long can frustrate your top performers and lower overall team morale. Be sure to go back and read that post if you haven’t!
This Week: Discipline #1 – “When in doubt, don’t hire—keep looking.”
This principle is all about quality over speed. Rushing to fill a role just because there’s a vacancy can backfire. A poor hiring decision can drag down productivity, disrupt team dynamics, and ultimately cost more in the long run.
Great companies don’t settle. They understand that the right person in the right seat can make all the difference.
If you're a small business looking to grow your team but unsure where to start, Talent Coaching and Consulting is here to help. We specialize in custom job descriptions tailored to your business—so you can attract the right candidates from the start.
Chapter Three Discussion Questions:
- Why do you think great companies prioritize people over strategy?
- Have you ever been part of a team where the “wrong person” was on the bus? How did that impact the team’s performance and morale?
- How can organizations balance hiring for character fit vs. skills and experience?
- Collins says the right people are self-motivated and don’t require tight management. Do you think this is realistic in all workplace settings?
That’s all for Chapter Three—thanks for reading along with us!
Until next time,
– The Talent Coaching & Consulting Team