People are the most important asset of a business. Mary Nutting, CEO of CorTalent, delves into how to hire the right leaders. Mary’s story focuses on the power of humility, over-communication, balancing positivity with truth, and how EOS has helped her company thrive during the pandemic.
From Corporate World To Entrepreneurship
When Mary left the corporate world behind for a job at a boutique talent acquisition company. It was a shock to the system.
She wasn’t used to making decisions on the fly or having a voice, and she grew to love both. In fact, as her entrepreneurial spirit took flight, her boss encouraged her to strike out on her own.
Thus, CorTalent was born. Today Mary helps successful, growing companies make quality hires quickly.
Hire the Right People
Businesses approach Mary when they are growing, but have hit a roadblock. They might be struggling to maintain profit margins or have a great product that they can’t get traction on. Her solution: hire the right people.
[3:25] “People are the most important asset of a business.”
A company that doesn’t have the right people, especially in its leadership roles, will always feel broken. Making big changes can feel scary, especially when it comes to steering people who have been loyal, caring and compassionate employees in a new direction.
Mary stresses, however, that often those people themselves are not comfortable or fulfilled in their role. Companies owe it to themselves and their employees to make sure that they’re mutually a good fit.
She emphasises that business owners can and should let employees go with humility. Work together and help them find their next step instead of just cutting the cord.
Lead With Humility
Mary points to her father as the first example of leadership in her life. He instilled within her the values of positivity, resilience, and determination as well as two maxims she still leads by:
- Always be yourself, no matter what. You must have convictions and be strong in them.
- Just remember you can do it.
Especially during the 2020 social unrest, Mary has seen how powerful these lessons are. At first, she wanted to stay under the radar.
[13:35] ‘I . . . got pushed from my team and through my own research to realize that as a leader you need to use your voice.”
The way forward was simple. Mary opted to lead with empathy, humility, transparency and confidence. She and her team started reading books together, engaging in dialogue and listening to each other about how to confront the world’s challenges. The company has only begun to reap the benefits of this communicative and receptive leadership approach.
Choosing the Right People
Mary emphasizes that the most important factor in choosing the right person for a position is to make sure their values align with your business’s values and culture. This is why it is crucial for your business to clearly define what those values are.
Mary advocates for hiring based on more than a candidate’s resume and often uses behavior-based interviewing practices. If a candidate claims to have values that align with yours, you want to make sure that they can walk the walk too.
Once you’ve defined the kind of person you’re looking for, document it and stick to it. Mary says that companies too often are swept off their feet by personalities that don’t align with the kind of candidate they have outlined.
Reach Out
Mary credits EOS with supporting and empowering her company to adapt during the pandemic; it has taught her that feeling stuck is a sign that it’s time to go back to the basics. Your core values and your leadership team can serve as a compass amidst uncertainty.
The world needs confident leaders. All it takes is the courage to reach out.
