Nick,
I too have attention deficit disorder and find it hard to keep extremely focused for a very long time. I can get on a roll, but then seem to fade out ofter a while. What is your secret to bringing ideas to fruition and keeping focused on the objective?
Be aware we all don’t have a ton of staff and unlimited funds…Yet…
I come up with awesome ideas but am only one person and there are only so many hours in a day…
I know you have the secret, now its time to spill the beans…
I have A.D.D. because I have no choice. Like you point out, there are only so many hours in the day and I have only a few minutes (often but a few seconds) to devote to each new project, so it appears as if I have A.D.D.
But I’ve been to two Florida inspection events with you this year Russell. Between those two meetings I think you’ve met Ron, Ben, Paige, Dayna, and Mack. So you probably can figure out “the secret.” I hire right. What was your impression of them?
I’m not particularly remarkable… I just hire super humans.
Russell, I would swear you were reading my mind today. I had very similar thoughts today when I was putting together my package for my inspection tomorrow with two reports waiting in the wings, and it was already after 6 PM. I was thinking it would really be helpful if I had some help to take on some of those tasks (or help me organize better), but I feel at this point I really can’t afford to hire someone, yet. But then again, maybe putting someone on to help manage certain administrative tasks, including book keeping and marketing, would free me up to focus on inspections and write reports could pay off.
Paige can teach me about nots and holes anytime! LOL
I hope you don’t take this the wrong way.
This was the best training on this subject I have ever seen and makes me think the whole team must be super human.
OK…I have met them all and to your credit, they are awesome in every way, bar none.
But did you ALWAYS hire people? Is that the secret? To have employees and then concentrate at what your best at? With that said, what is your most sought after attribute? Is it knowledge? Is it attitude? Is it trainability of is it just feel? I have heard from talking to Paige that some did not make the cut. When do you decide to fire a person?
If there was one aspect a person should concentrate on…what would it be? I think I am going to have to come to NACHI…I think it could be a great learning tool…
Glad I do not have that… Be right back.
I agree. Its hard to find good help. But when you do… Its priceless
Notice your use of the word “feel” ? Anyway, your employees shouldn’t cost you anything. None of my companies have a single employee that cost the company a penny. Every one of my employees generates black ink.
Maybe what you meant to say is: *“I don’t have the capital to cover their first few paychecks until they begin to bring in more money than they cost to employ.” *
So its a lack of temporary cash flow… or is it?
Or maybe what you really meant to say is: “I have the capital to cover their first few paychecks until they bring in more money than they cost to employ but I won’t hire them… I won’t hire because unless an employee can actually hand me a certain amount of cash at the end of the day that is greater than what I paid him/her that day, my brain won’t let me attribute the additional profits indirectly generated by that employee’s efforts to that particular employee and so I only focus on what I’m paying the employee and not what the employee is paying me, indirectly, by making my company more profitable.”
So it’s a lack of basic business acumen… or is it?
Or maybe what you really, really meant to say is: *“I have the capital to cover their first few paychecks until they bring in more money than they cost to employ and I realize that although an employee might not actually hand me a certain amount of cash at the end of the day that is greater than what I paid him/her that day, I do attribute the additional profits indirectly generated by that employee’s efforts to that particular employee and so I don’t focus on what I’m paying the employee but rather on what the employee is paying me, indirectly, by making my company more profitable, however, I don’t think I will be able to accurately quantify the profits generated indirectly by the employee, and that keeps me from hiring.” *
So it’s a lack of financial analysis skills… or is it?
Or maybe what you really, really, really meant to say is: *“I earn enough to pay my bills. My wife has a steady job. Between the two of us, we live comfortably and can even afford some luxuries. I’m afraid. I’m afraid of being poor, so I work hard and take few risks. I’m afraid of being rich, so I don’t hire, hiring is a risk. If I were going to hire someone, I would be afraid to hire someone much different than me, or someone much more confident than me, or someone much smarter than me.”
*So it’s a problem dealing with your own fears.
Unless you were born with some freak talent (such as being able to hit a baseball into the stands), it is very difficult to get rich without good help.
Awesome information…I think I am gonna start picking your brain and getting this type of info out of you, love it…thanks for the input!
Wow, well said Nick, Thanks
No Risk - No Reward
Well said! I guess it’s time for me to hire some new people.
Brian Tracy once said, “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” One of the biggest reasons people get stuck in an idle state, instead of taking action to change their lives for the better, is simply that the process is uncomfortable.
Well received information Nick. Makes you say…“hmmm”.
hmmmmm
So how do we find these special “working machines”? What is/are the attributes you seek when looking for that special person.
Well, different attributes for different positions, but my upper-level managers all have something in common that I look for before hiring them: Little formal education. It’s why so many of my operations are run by people who started working for me as teenagers… I try to catch them before they go to college. My highest-paid employees (and some of them make serious bank) are all H.S. dropouts.
I am glad Nicj added this
I try to catch them before they go to college. My highest-paid employees (and some of them make serious bank) are all H.S. dropouts.
To often someone gets blindside without a diploma . You may miss the most dedicated hard working individual and most of the time are willing to learn the job. To often the right of college one wants top dollar soft hours and everyone owes me a living attitude .
But do not neglect to reward the dedicated one
is someone going to start a NACHI campaign to encourage people to drop out of college?
PayPal founder already doing that: http://www.pri.org/stories/business/social-entrepreneurs/paying-students-to-drop-out-of-college.html