Hire For Hunger
If you want your organization to succeed, you need to hire hungry employees. By “hungry,” I don’t mean people who are starving or have an insatiable appetite for food, obviously. Instead, I’m talking about driven and motivated individuals to achieve their goals. They’re people who always look for ways to improve their skills and contribute to the team.
It is said that a proud young man once approached Socrates, seeking wisdom. So he walked up to him and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for wisdom.”
Socrates, recognizing a pompous fool when he saw one, led him down to the sea and took him chest-deep into the water. Then he asked him, “What did you say you wanted?”
“Wisdom, O great Socrates,” said the young man.
Socrates put his hands on the man’s shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later, Socrates let him up. “What do you want?” he asked again.
“Wisdom,” the young man sputtered, “O great and wise Socrates.”
Socrates pushed him under again. Thirty seconds, thirty-five, forty–then Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. “What do you want, young man?”
Between heavy breaths, the man wheezed, “Wisdom! O wise and wonderful…”
Socrates jammed him under again–forty seconds passed, then fifty–then he let him up. “What do you want?”
“Air!” the young man yelled. “I need air!” Socrates replied, “When you want wisdom as much as you have just wanted air, then you will begin to find wisdom.”
To be successful, you must get people who have an insatiable hunger for learning and self-improvement. In fact, if you study the most successful people throughout history, the one common denominator is their commitment to personal and professional growth. There is an old saying: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” If you hire a willing student, you will find there are teachers all around showing them the way. By remaining in a growth mindset and challenging your team every day to get better and never settle, you will position your organization for continued success throughout its life.
If you want to be successful, you must have a team with an insatiable desire to learn and improve.
A Thought For Existing Employees:
What can you do to ensure your employees are always hungry for more? You could start by hiring people who are already passionate about their work. But even if you hire the most motivated individuals out there, eventually, they will lose their drive if they feel comfortable in their roles. So how can you keep your employees hungry for more? By creating an environment where they are constantly challenged and pushed to grow. And that starts with making sure they are continually growing professionally. Give them opportunities to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities. And encourage them to push themselves outside of their comfort zones. If you can create an environment where employees are constantly learning and growing, they will be hungry for more, and that’s good news for your organization!
