How To Create A High-Performance Culture
Kobi Simmat (lead image) is a self-taught expert in business management, advisory services, and the founder of Best Practice Biz. He achieved a $20 million valuation and then a successful sale of his business and now helps others unlock the full potential of their businesses. He’s also author of How to Build a Business Others Want to Buy. In this guest post, Simmat offers tips to installing a high performance culture at your agency…
Building a high performance starts with hiring the right people. I’ve been a business improvement coach for over twenty years, built a team of seventy staff and achieved a $20 million valuation and then a successful sale of my business, so I have seen what works and what doesn’t. If you want to unlock the potential of your people and build a high-performance culture, I have some tips to help you succeed, and it all starts with who you hire.
Hiring is always a hit and miss affair but over the years I’ve got better at it, mainly because I ask three outstanding questions. These questions help me achieve three things: they filter out who is most suitable for the task at hand, who will get the job done best and who is most likely to contribute to the culture I have created.
The questions revolve around three topics: 1) Do you get it? 2) Do you want it? and 3) Do you have capacity? These questions have proven remarkably efficient in helping me hire A-grade players, spot B-grade players who can be coached to become A-grade players, and actively avoid C-grade players.
You can’t build a high-performance culture with people who can’t honestly answer ‘yes’ to these three questions. If they do, however, you’re on the road to building the team you need to take your business to the next level.
The average cost of a mis-hire is 200 per cent of an annual salary, so it pays to get hiring right. I don’t leave it to chance.
Why are these three questions so powerful?
I ask these questions because I’ve been burnt in the past by people who say one thing at an interview, and do another. They tell me how good they are, how much they want the job, how hard they’ll work. They get the role but their hype doesn’t live up to their reality; they’re not half as good as they say and they can’t do the job at hand. That’s a costly own goal. I need to prevent that from happening.
Hiring well starts with asking these three key questions at the early stage of the interview process. Each question leads to more questions and each will uncover the truth about how appropriate this candidate will be for the job at hand.
Follow this script and you’ll be on your way to not only hiring the best people, but they’ll be people who remain loyal and contribute to your culture as well.
- Do you get it?
- Do you understand the job on offer?
- Do you understand the KPI metric you are being asked to reach?
- Does that metric or number motivate you?
- Have you read the job description in detail?
- Do you have the skills and experience to deliver on the job at hand?
Assuming they say ‘yes’ to those questions, I then ask:
- Do you want it?
- Now you know exactly what the role entails, do you honestly, genuinely, with no reservations want this job?
- Is there another job that you had your eye on (that you didn’t get elsewhere) which makes this role the booby prize?
- Are you interested in this role because you’ve got your eye on the prize of a bigger job a few rungs above this one?
- Do you see yourself staying in this same role for at least three years?
Assuming they know what the job entails, (they ‘get it’), and they wholeheartedly desire the job at hand (they ‘want it’), my final and perhaps most important question is…
- Do you have the capacity to take it on?
- Do you have the time, mental preparedness, skills, experience, desire and space to fully commit to this role?
- Do you have the emotional resilience to take on feedback, embrace change, express empathy and self-regulate your emotions?
- Is there anything going on in your life that will prevent you from completing this job to the standards I have just outlined in the earlier questions?
- Is there anything that could prevent you from completing these tasks in the allocated time?
Why do I ask these three questions?
We hire for will and train for skill so we take a lot of time in our hiring process to ensure we get the right people, in the right job, for the right reason.
Hiring is easy. Firing is hard. It’s costly, draining on everyone and leaves a bad taste in the mouth for all concerned. It’s also impossible to build a high-performance culture with people who don’t get it, don’t want it and don’t have capacity so it’s best not to employ them in the first place. It’s much harder to get someone out of an organisation than it is to get them in, so we spend a lot of time ensuring we get the right people in so that we don’t have to worry about moving them out.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Kobi SimmatLatest News
Indie Agency Communicado Raids Thinkerbell For Its Two New Associate Creative Directors
Thinkerbell duo depart for rival agency Communicado. Leaving speeches were said to be convivial but restrained.
“Utterly Irresponsible” Sportsbet Slammed For Near-$20m Marketing Blitz As Gambling Ban Approaches
Sportsbet has been slammed as “utterly irresponsible” after a $19.4 million marketing blitz that, in the eyes of one anti-gambling advocate should “destroy their social licence to operate.” Tim Costello chief advocate of the Alliance for Gambling Reform said that “This proves a levy on Sportsbet is appropriate and why are we allowing our kids […]
Casella Appoints Dig As Creative Agency On Yellow Tail Wine
There's three givens at B&T's Friday staff drinks - the Yellow Tail, the Cheezels and the incessant bickering.
Seven Prioritises The Matildas Over The News AND The AFL In Extraordinary Decision Ahead Of The Women’s World Cup Quarter Final
Scott and Charlene's wedding now under serious threat as Saturday's Matilda's game threatens to smash all TV records.
News Corp Earnings Down Across The Board Despite Jump In Subscribers
Rupert can't find a coin for his ALDI trolley as News Corp earnings drop calls for renewed round of belt tightening.
Despite The Outrage & The Bans, The Sports Bet Category Remains Adland’s Zaniest (See This!)
The Guardian may no longer be running sports bet advertising, but as you'll read here, B&T has far less morals & ethics.
Last Chance To Buy Tickets For This Year’s B&T Women In Media Awards!
B&T's not giving away too many secrets to the Women In Media Awards suffice to say two words - chocolate and fountain.
The Trade Desk, Magnite & LiveRamp Deliver Growth, PubMatic Flat In Q2 Earnings
B&T's calling this your Q2 earnings wrap. We even considered wheeling out "must read" to help it along a bit.
Cinema Chain Spoofs Classic Movies In Wonderfully Funny Work To Entice People Back Into Theatres
Call it the Barbenheimer effect, but cinema's suddenly cool again. Yet, absolutely no uptick whatsoever for drive-ins.
Mediabrands Launches Internship Program For Aspiring Media Professionals
Mediabrands are on the lookout for young, enthusiastic go-getters for its internship program. But then, aren't we all?
Nike Celebrates The Matildas & Young Aussie Female Athletes In New Work By Conscious Minds
In what can be best described as a rare treat, it's a localised Nike ad. Kinda like finding the milk's not out of date.
Why Your CX Technology Should Focus On Connections
This expert opines it's not about your newfangled tech stacks, it's about your customers. Even the ones you detest.
WPP & Optimizely Partner To Bring Informed Digital Experiences To Brands & Consumers
Often think WPP's a 'canary in the coal mine' for industry trends? Well, avoid the black lung reading this latest.
Dylan Alcott & Hnry Team Up To Relieve Aussie Sole Traders Of Scary Tax Admin
Can the effervescent Dylan Alcott make tax admin even remotely interesting? Watch as he gives his best shot here.
D&AD Shift With Google Sydney Announce Class Of 2023
Need to poach some hot young agency talent? Poach away here, but just don't rat on B&T for the heads up.
Digital Media Agency Bench Rebrands To The Digital Disruption Agency
You could say Bench has been benched, as agency rebrands to the Digital Disruption Agency.
Seven Appoints Indie Creative Agency Emotive To Reshape Broadcaster’s Brand
Seven planning a brand zjoosh and spring clean. Although the offical corporate red and the number 7 is off limits.
Elon Musk Says The ABC Prefers “Censorship-Friendly” Social Media
It appears the ABC's found a new enemy in Elon Musk. However, News Corp remains entrenched at the top of the enemy list.
Wednesday TV Ratings: The Chase Just Beats The Block To Entertainment Win
Nine wins Wednesday night. However, Seven tells rival you'll get that and more come Saturday's Matilda's match.
B&T’s Best Of The Best Technologists, Presented By Finecast, Part Of GroupM Nexus
Somewhat ironically, this top 10 technologists list wasn't written with any help from ChatGPT or AI whatsoever!
Former Woman’s Day Editor Fiona Connolly Appointed Head of News’ Lifestyle Network
You could say ink runs in the veins of women's magazine veteran Fiona Connolly. And sponge cake recipes.
X Adds Brand Safety Tools In Bid To Bring Back Ad Dollars
Elon back contemplating the colonisation of Mars after finding this whole Twitter thing one huge headache.
ACMA Rules Kyle Sandilands’ Monkeypox Comments Breached Decency Rules And Were Offensive To Gay Men
Watchdog rules Kyle offended gay men. Punishment includes listening to Barbra Streisand & Céline Dion CDs on repeat.
Ozzy Osborne Bites Off More Than He Can Chew With Banned PlayStation Ad
Ozzy Osborne continuing to surprise. No more so than the fact that he's actually still alive and kicking.
Swisse Wellness Wheels In the Celebs To Stop Late Night Doom Scrollers
Is your sleep routine two Quaaludes and a swig from the sherry bottle? There's tips here for a more blissful night.
“All Good Things Must Come To An End, Well This One Barely Got started!” Jerker Fagerström Quits Thinkerbell After Eight Months
Thinkerbell fridge sans all smörgåstårta & pickled herring as Jerker Fagerström heads for the utgång (exits).
Footballing God Cristiano Ronaldo Bumbles His Way through New Work For Fan App Zuju
This ad proves Cristiano Ronaldo is just one of the guys. Just a filthy rich one of the guys, that is.
Samsung Ads’ Marj Hetherton On Why CTV Is The Most Exciting Area Of Advertising
Samsung Ads' Marj Hetherton says CTV is the most exciting area of advertising. That and nine-hour client lunches.
CommBank Matildas REMOVES Tim Tam TikTok Following B&T Story
If Tim Tam's marketing team wants to send B&T some freebies for this free press we'll take any flavour but mint or dark.
Tinder’s New Global Campaign Says Online Dating Need Not Be An Unrivalled Hell
If there were truth in advertising, these spots would feature a drunk bloke with poor hygiene who lives with his mother.
ADMA Adds New Speakers For Upcoming Global Forum
ADMA confirms speaker line-up for upcoming Global Forum. Also, 300 arancini balls locked-in for the networking drinks.
IMAA Census Predicts Growth In BVOD/CTV, Digital Video And Podcasts
The IMAA census is like a finger on the pulse of Australia's adland. And we all need a solid finger now and then.
Prestige Brands Targets Gen Z With Racy Billie Eilish Perfume Ad Via Spark Foundry
Billie Eilish the latest celeb to release a fragrance. Meanwhile, B&T still waiting on an Angus Young eau de toilette.
The Australian Women’s Weekly Celebrates Its 90th Birthday
The Weekly celebrates its 90 birthday. B&T believes the first-ever copy is still in our GP's reception.
Connecting Plots Delivers Latest Iteration Of “The Experts In Air” For Mitsubishi Air-Conditioners
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioners Australia (MHIAA) has launched its latest campaign via Connecting Plots drawing subtle similarities to the world of wine sommeliers. In a highly competitive category that’s hard to navigate, the new campaign by Connecting Plots seeks to unlock the assurance of an expert opinion, with the MHIAA Air Experts behaving like wine […]
Delicious Partners With Harvey Norman For 2023 Produce Awards
The Royal Easter Show not the only place to see the very best in pumpkins, as Delicious announces annual produce awards.