‘If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs, but if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we will become a company of giants’
While perusing a book by David Ogilvy I came across his thoughts on hiring and office discipline which I’d like to share.
Whom to hire?
Look for men and women with talent; train them thoroughly to make the most of their talents.
Always hire gentlemen with brains. Brains? It doesn’t necessarily mean a high IQ. It means curiosity, common sense, wisdom, imagination and literacy. Literacy because most communication between agencies and clients is in writing.
Look for young men and women who can one day lead your agency. If they were leaders between the ages of 18 and 22, the odds are that they’ll emerge as leaders in middle life.
Who not to hire
Never hire your friends. When you have to fire them, they’re no longer your friends nor employees.
Never hire your client’s children. If you have to fire them, you may lose the client.
Think twice before hiring people who have been successful in other fields. A magazine editor, a lawyer and an economist may not develop interest in your field.
Never hire your clients. The qualities which make someone a good client are not necessarily the qualities required for success in your company.
Office politicians
Some ways to squelch them:
Fire the worst of the politicians. You can identify them by how often they send you blind copies of their poison-pen memos to their rivals.
When somebody comes to your office and denounces his rival as an incompetent rascal, summon the rival and make the denouncer repeat what he just told you.
Crusade against paper warfare. Make your people settle their fights face to face.
Don’t play favourites.
Discipline works
Insist that everyone arrives on time, even if a bonus has to be paid to achieve this.
Insist that telephones are answered promptly
Be eternally vigilant about the security of your clients’ secrets; indiscretion in elevators and restaurants and the display of forthcoming projects on notice boards can do grave damage to your clients.
Insist that due dates are kept. Hard work, says the Scottish proverb, never killed a man.
While perusing a book by David Ogilvy I came across his thoughts on hiring and office discipline which I’d like to share.
Whom to hire?
Look for men and women with talent; train them thoroughly to make the most of their talents.
Always hire gentlemen with brains. Brains? It doesn’t necessarily mean a high IQ. It means curiosity, common sense, wisdom, imagination and literacy. Literacy because most communication between agencies and clients is in writing.
Look for young men and women who can one day lead your agency. If they were leaders between the ages of 18 and 22, the odds are that they’ll emerge as leaders in middle life.
Who not to hire
Never hire your friends. When you have to fire them, they’re no longer your friends nor employees.
Never hire your client’s children. If you have to fire them, you may lose the client.
Think twice before hiring people who have been successful in other fields. A magazine editor, a lawyer and an economist may not develop interest in your field.
Never hire your clients. The qualities which make someone a good client are not necessarily the qualities required for success in your company.
Office politicians
Some ways to squelch them:
Fire the worst of the politicians. You can identify them by how often they send you blind copies of their poison-pen memos to their rivals.
When somebody comes to your office and denounces his rival as an incompetent rascal, summon the rival and make the denouncer repeat what he just told you.
Crusade against paper warfare. Make your people settle their fights face to face.
Don’t play favourites.
Discipline works
Insist that everyone arrives on time, even if a bonus has to be paid to achieve this.
Insist that telephones are answered promptly
Be eternally vigilant about the security of your clients’ secrets; indiscretion in elevators and restaurants and the display of forthcoming projects on notice boards can do grave damage to your clients.
Insist that due dates are kept. Hard work, says the Scottish proverb, never killed a man.
It is suicide to settle for second-rate performance.
