They weren’t cogs in the wheel. They were baked into the fabric of how we do business here. Even though I supported their reasons for leaving, it was hard to imagine life without them.

Why do I share this? 

Because hiring new team members — whether they are your first or tenth hire — requires us to embrace change.

Change helps us grow as Leaders, which is a good thing, but there are growing pains we have to prepare ourselves for! 

Whether you have hired for the first time, or are replacing a tenured team member, there are 3 things I learned from my recent hiring experience that I want to share with you.

1. Learn to ask yourself, “What will this change make possible?”

When you run a business with tenured employees, or by yourself, you know what everyone brings to the table. There are no surprises.

A new teammate shakes things up. They have a unique work style and bring fresh ideas to the table. Better yet, they are eager to make YOUR ideas come to life.

What might have scared a past employee may energize your new hire. What one person might have said, “no,” to…your new hire may say, “hell yes!”

Lean into this. Dream. Ideate. Imagine and get excited for all that’s possible with them.

Embrace the change that a new hire will bring to your organization.

Related Content: Prepare for hiring with our New Hire Checklist! 

2. Learn to embrace a new perspective on your leadership

Hiring a new team member is like having a baby. You see yourself — and the world — through their eyes. Everyone has a unique point of view, which means a new teammate will show you things about yourself you weren’t even aware of (for better or worse, HA!)

They will be a new “mirror” for you to see how you handle stress, communicate, set expectations, develop, discipline and hold people accountable.

As you welcome your new teammate…pay attention to what they teach you about yourself. Be open to their feedback. This new relationship is a two-way street. You want your new teammate to thrive under your leadership, but you need to be a leader worth serving.

Related Content: Are you open to feedback as a Leader?

3. Learn to rebuild cracks in your culture & ops

When you work alone, or have had the same team for a long time, you all know how to navigate the “mess.” You’re used to the glitchy software and disorganized Google Drive folder structure.

A new hire will point out these flaws with a neon yellow highlighter.

Try not to take the feedback personally. Start a “bug report” and make a running list of what needs fixing. Then, tackle the improvements slowly based on what’s urgent.

You might feel overwhelmed at first, but you’ll be glad to know where things can improve.

We all have work to do. Improving our leadership and our organization is a lifelong activity. The work is never really finished, is it? 

I hope you learn to embrace all the change a new teammate brings to your company. Whether you are hiring for the first time, or even the tenth time, it’s important to keep in mind what this new addition can bring to your business. A new teammate will have a fresh perspective on your leadership and can help identify areas where processes may need improvement.

If you need help growing your team, schedule a free strategy call with us today. We are here to help you find your right-fit teammate who will help you take your business to the next level.