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Who

Geoff Smart•2008

  1. Chappy's Book Notes•332 books

Who

Geoff Smart•2008

Length
4h 47m•~188 pages
Read
Nov 19th - 28th '23
LeadershipManagementProductivityInterpersonal
•

The summary and key takeaways below are auto-generated. I ran an AI pass based strictly on my handwritten notes for this book. I haven't done my own pass over them yet.

I read a book once and take handwritten notes as I go, then leave them alone. Weeks or months later I come back and write the key points and summary from those notes.

The delay is on purpose. Having to rebuild a book out of my own notes does far more for my recall than a second read-through would.

This one has only gotten as far as the AI pass. I'll come back and redo the takeaways and summary myself soon!

Summary

Key Quotes

Who are the most talented people you know that I should hire?

Hiring failures are the most expensive mistakes companies make, and they stem from a broken process: vague job descriptions, unstructured interviews, and gut-feel decisions. The scorecard method — defining the mission, outcomes, and competencies before sourcing — transforms hiring into a systematic, repeatable process. The best candidates come from referrals, not job boards. Four structured interviews (screening, topgrading, focused, reference) each serve a specific filtering purpose. Topgrading — walking through every job chronologically asking what they did, how, and why they left — exposes patterns that predict future performance.

Key Takeaways

  • Define the mission, 3-5 measurable outcomes, and key competencies before sourcing
  • Scorecards align the hiring team and create objective evaluation criteria
  • A vague job description guarantees a vague hiring process and mediocre results
  • The best candidates aren't actively looking — they're referred by people who know them
  • Build a sourcing pipeline by asking every great person you meet: "Who are the best people you know?"
  • Professional recruiters are useful for specialized roles but should work from your scorecard
  • Screening call: basic fit and career goals in 30 minutes
  • Topgrading: walk through every job chronologically — what, how, results, why they left
  • Focused interviews: each interviewer scores specific competencies from the scorecard
  • Reference calls: ask structured questions of people the candidate worked with directly
  • Chronological career walk-through exposes trends in results, relationships, and departures
  • Ask what their boss would say about them — then verify in references
  • The "threat of reference check" keeps candidates honest throughout the process
  • Voodoo hiring (gut feel, trick questions, unstructured chats) has a ~50% success rate
  • A systematic process raises success to 90%+ — the method matters more than the interviewer's talent
  • The cost of a bad hire is 15x their salary when you factor in lost time, morale, and opportunity

Notes

1: Your #1 problem

  • Who > what
  • Do your due diligence
  • Resume: accomplishments embellished, failures removed
  • 10 common mistakes when interviewing*
  • Hire for max potential
  • The A method:
    • scorecard: outcomes, competencies
    • source: systematic
    • select: structured interviews
    • sell: persuade to join

2: Scorecard: a blueprint for success

  • Mission, outcomes, competencies
  • Mission: essence of the job
    • Hire specialists, not generalists
  • Outcomes: 3-8 objectives to accomplish
  • Competencies: how to operate
    • Eg. chemistry, commitment, coachable, ego, intellect
    • Cultural match

3: Source: generating a flow of A players

  • Top 5 methods for sourcing talent:
    • from business network
    • from personal network
    • external recruiter
    • recruiting researcher
    • internal recruiter
  • “Who are the most talented people you know that I should hire?”
  • Require everyone to recruit
  • 30 mins/week to identify, nurture A players
  • Seek people who are blatantly candid

4: Select: 4 interviews for spotting A players

  • Get curious: what? how? tell me more
  • Screening interview
    • 4 questions
      • What are your career goals?
      • What are you really good at?
        • 8-12 with examples
      • What are you not good at / not interested in doing?
        • What are you really not good at?
      • Who are your last 5 bosses? (Say you will reach out to them) What will they say? How will they rate you on a 1-10 scale? Why?
  • Top grading interview
    • 90 min - 5 hours
    • Set the scene by introducing format
    • Divide resume into chapters
    • For educational experience:
      • Highs and lows
    • 5 questions for each role:
      • What were you hired to do?
      • Proudest accomplishments?
      • Low points during job?
      • Who did you work with?
        • Bosses’ name? Spell it out + write it down.
        • What was it like working with them?
        • What will they say are your strengths + weaknesses?
        • How would you rate the team you inherited?
      • Why did you leave?
    • Finish with career goals + aspirations
    • Master tactics:
      • Regularly interrupt (every 3 mins)
      • 3 Ps: performance vs prior year, plan, and peers
      • Push vs pull
      • Stop signs → probe deeper
  • Focused interview
    • Specific purpose
    • Eg. cultural fit interview
  • Reference interviews
    • Pick the references, have them help set up (7 total, eg. subordinates)
    • Questions:
      • How did you work together?
      • Biggest strengths?
      • Biggest weaknesses back then?
      • Overall rating on 1-10? Why?
      • Explain their struggles
    • Read between the lines
      • Glowing vs normal
  • Skill / will profile

5: Sell: 5 ways to seal the deal

  • Put yourself in their shoes
  • 5 Fs: fit, family, freedom, fortune, fun
  • Family must be on board
  • Freedom to thrive
  • Fortune: no such thing as bargain, overpay
  • More often undersell than oversell
    • Stay in regular touch
    • Persistence
  • Need to ensure strong first 100 days
    • Onboarding program

6: Your greatest opportunity

  • Management talent: 50% of success
    • Execution: 20%, strategy: 17%
  • CEO traits:
    • Lambs: (57%) masters at soft skills
    • Cheetahs: (100%) quick, aggressive, persistent, focused, high standards