The Secret to Finding Competent People To Work With

Imagine you are trying to build the ultimate fort in the woods, but you have to rely on other people to help you gather wood, tie knots, and hold up the roof. If you pick the wrong friends, the fort collapses, and you waste the whole afternoon.

Deciding on who to work or partner with is exactly like that.

This seems like an obvious example, but business owners don’t normally take the time or effort to make sure their collaborators / employees actually know how to build. Instead of making sure they meet standards, they often rush the hiring process out of panic because they need help right now.

They trust a flashy resume or a low price tag, only to realize too late that the person is… not a great fit.

The result? A lot of extra work for you to fix their mistakes.

Why “Perfect On Paper” Doesn’t Always Translate

You finally found a resume that looks flawless. You check out their background, and they’ve got great reviews online. They have a wide range of experience. They went to a high-ranking school. Their personality is awesome. They’re a good fit… right?

But a resume tells you what they did for someone/ something else, not what they can do for you.

Many small business owners find someone who they think is competent based on their history, experiences, accomplishments, or personality traits…

They hire or work with them, and they assume that everything will go smoothly.

But many complain that in the end, it cost them money, time, and extra work correcting mistakes or work that isn’t up to par.

1. Working well in a previous environment doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll work well in your environment.

2. They might have done 10 different things okay, but they aren't experts in the specific thing you need done right now.

How To Find Good Matches

You can run a quick competence check to make sure the person can actually deliver.

This is what to look for:

SIMILAR CORE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

Why?

Because skills can always be taught, while character cannot.

If you value speed and honesty, but your contractor values perfectionism and cutting corners, you are not on the same page. You might think hiring them was a mistake because they are incompetent, but the real problem is that you are incompatible.

Core principles, which indicate compatibility (including professional compatibility), show how someone will behave under pressure, make decisions, and handle changes. When values and goals align, even if mistakes happen, you can trust that compromise can happen.

Similar core principles give way to the ability to compromise and work together.

We recommend that you personally connect - in person or over call - with each person that you work with as a way to vet them.

Remember that collaboration is not just about skills, personality or cultural fit - it’s about whether your working styles, values, and priorities are compatible enough to get things done together.