It may seem like I want to discuss hiring people...

Like with most things we get better the more we do something, and for me I became rather good at hiring people. In the beginning there was a learning curve and there was the ever-lurking spectre of making the wrong decision, but with some good hires made, lessons learned, and a process in place, over time there were very few that I look back on with any regret.

You might think I'm about to offer perspective on hiring, but you would be wrong. And although the following is about a hiring situation, you would still be wrong.

Like any good hiring situation, there is a hiring manager and an interview team to help onboard the best possible candidate. Depending on the size of the organization there is most likely HR support and maybe even a Talent Acquisition team to help find possible candidates. Most interview processes involve a number of rounds that result in two or three possible choices; from there a decision needs to be made. As I reflect on a specific hiring situation, we had done all the interviewing and had boiled it down to two candidates; a debriefing meeting had been called to get everyone's insights, thoughts and opinions — This is particularly important because it ensures the best decision is made. The team's feedback was split regarding who the best candidate was, and one person in particular was very vocal regarding who needed to be hired and how it was really the only choice. Finally I looked at the phone (it was a conference call) and simply asked, "Who owns the hiring decision?"  After a moment, a voice sheepishly spoke up and said that the hiring manager did. With that clarified, I thanked everyone for their input, and told them I would make my decision by the end of the day.

And there you have it, what this is really about is Ownership. 

And why the need to write 313 words before I mention "Ownership"? Mostly because when you boil it all down there are really only two points to be made about ownership, and it wouldn't have been much of a read.

If you want to accomplish anything you need to have an Owner (Full Stop)

There can only be one Owner (Full Stop) 

I suppose we could also look to this famous saying to offer insight into what I have said — A camel is a horse designed by committee. And the reason is that although the camel is a magnificent animal, we all know if there had been an owner it would have been a horse.

iamgpe

CLIMBING THE HILL ... an analogy.

After being told we were part of something that raised $20.5 Million to help cure cancer in our lifetime, 5,044 of us got on our bikes and began a ride 219 kilometres over two days.

As the motivation of being part of something bigger than yourself starts to fade and the riders thin out, you settle into a rhythm as you make your way along the route. There is always someone around you... another rider or someone on the side of the road cheering you on, but ultimately you are left with your thoughts as you pedal — Pedals always turning.

The road is always in front of you; straight away; turning; rolling... and It inevitably brings you to that steep hill, because there is always a steep hill it seems.

You see it. The other riders see it. Every rider prepares for it in his or her own way. If you know it is coming you may be able to get some momentum and optimize your gearing to get the most of it. For those not so fortunate, you see the hill for the first time and have to react as quickly as you can to determine the best gear to get through the climb.  Ultimately, all must commit to a gear — Pedals always turning.

With head down, you focus on pedalling until you are either at the top of the hill or until you are unable to pedal anymore — Pedals always turning.

You can hear the sound of riders trying to gear down to ease the strain and fail; can hear riders cursing because someone can pedal no more and stops in front of them; can only watch through the corner of your eye those riders who surrender to the hill and start walking — Pedals always turning. With progress being made, lungs gasping for air, legs burning, and the spectre of simply stopping in your ear, you continue — Pedal always turning. It becomes simple willpower that keep the pedals always turning.

And then you are at the top. You made it. It is enjoyable being on your bicycle again. You continue the ride knowing the hill is behind you and you are better for climbing it.

Pedals always turning.

A shoutout to my riding buddies John and Kevin, I appreciate you guys riding up the hill with me. Our honorary captain Mike got sidelined this year, but I know he will join us next year because his pedals are always turning.

iamgpe

PS: As a final note, hills have nothing on the fuckin' headwind.

Behind the curtain of an opportunity...

Recently I've found myself involved in a number of conversations regarding opportunities and opportunity management — What they are, how to find them, and how do you manage opportunities to reality. If you are in Sales and Marketing you're most likely aware of the real science behind lead generation and opportunity management: an area of business interest is defined, activities to build customer connection and customer interest are created, and finally a process to realize that interest (or lead) in the form of a sale.

Classically depicted as a funnel to illustrate the progression of leads through opportunities to a final win or a loss, this process can range from something relatively simple to extremely elaborate; more often than not it also becomes an important metric to indicate marketing and sales activity, as well as a component of the forecasting activity. It is a core consideration for anyone in the commercial function, and particularly if you are responsible for a revenue target.

The Sales and Marketing opportunity funnel is a nice illustration of something very fundamental when considering opportunities of any nature... opportunities are not the result of wishing or dreaming but a result of doing — There is nothing passive about an opportunity. Only action will find an opportunity and only action will make it real. This is why I like the illustration of the opportunity funnel because it's a tangible reminder that nothing moves through the funnel unless there is action.

Behind the curtain of any opportunity is work (sometimes very hard work), and the rest is just process and administration... which I will say is a very nice check and balance to ensure you know what is working and what is not. I suppose there are those opportunities that come your way, but I suspect if you really look at it you will see it's the result of working really hard to put yourself in the way.

There is no short cut when it comes to making opportunities real.

iamgpe