Continuing my thought about Investing on People, there should be a criteria on whether the investment worth it or not. It’s in the context of professional organization i.e. companies. So I’m talking about hiring/firing.

Remember, worth, value used in here is in its most broadest sense!

Part of my thoughts are formed thanks to my boss at work currently. I’d propose there are 3 dimensions:

1. Technical competency, the ability, can you do it.

2. They care (they give a f), do they want to do it.

3. Vibe check.

Technical competency is mostly about the floor and ceiling ideas in High Floor, High Ceiling Candidates. The concrete skill, expertise. Along with the future growth potential of their ability.

They care. I’d propose 80% of this dimensions is driven by leadership. A leader with strong vision, purpose, well-grounded strategy, and able to part this semantics to people, i.e. strong leadership, will almost automatically make people care. By its nature, people want to do great job. They want to serve other people, to be fulfilled, to server higher purpose than their self. The rest 20%, or whatever minor number that fits, I guess, come naturally from them.

So if they don’t care, employees are unengaged, unmotivated, I’d propose it’s caused by weak leadership. When they are well-engaged, fully motivated, know exactly clear where do we go, they will help achieve the goal of the organization. They somehow even work hard. I have some intuitive sense on why, but that’s a story for another day.

Vibe check. The last point is pretty easy really as it’s subjective and simple. The most concrete way I use to describe this is whether you want to spend time and hang out with them outside of work? You can answer organically without comprehensive measurements, hence it’s pretty clear.

TODO: refine, but clarity is there.