Are you the smartest person on your team?

Welcome to the first edition of the sketchwell weekly, a newsletter that simplifies complex leadership ideas using simple sketches. Leadership is challenging, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why I’m gathering the best advice from leadership experts and sharing insights from my 15 years of experience leading teams—presented in easy-to-consume visuals.

LEADERSHIP WHITEBOARD

In business, the team you build defines your success. But hiring is hard. I've hired quite a few people who weren’t right for the roles. Many times, I blamed it on being too stressed and just ‘needing someone.’ Sometimes after interviewing a lot of duds, I would start comparing each candidate to their predecessors instead of focusing on the actual role. I eventually end up falling into the ‘good enough’ trap, hiring someone who turned out to be more trouble than they were worth. Two of the biggest lessons I've learned that help me find better people are:

1. Slow down. Yes, you are doing too much, but hiring the wrong person will end up doubling your workload, not simplifying it.

2. Include others. I now have one to three other people help interview candidates. I focus on skills, and they focus on the factors I often overlook.

It’s not an exact science, so give yourself some grace if you make a mistake. But it’s a skill you should be growing in. Here are a few more things to get you thinking on this topic.

📚 DIG A LITTLE DEEPER

• Why job interviews are broken (article)

• The Talent Delusion (book)

🤔 WHY AM I WRITING THIS NEWSLETTER?

I’ve been a leader for 15 years, and I’ve realized some of my favorite times are when I am coaching people on how to navigate complex situations. I don’t want to get complacent in my leadership and know I still have lots of room to grow. This newsletter is going to continue to push me on my learning journey. I hope you stay along for the ride. Also, please connect with me on INSTAGRAM and LINKEDIN!

Keep Leading. See you next week. 👋

Kacy