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  • Top 3 Mistakes Managers Make When Hiring in a Rush

    Top 3 Mistakes Managers Make When Hiring in a Rush

    Hiring under pressure is a manager’s rite of passage. Whether it’s an unexpected resignation, a sudden project ramp-up, or the panic of quarter-end targets, we’ve all been there. The scramble to fill a gap quickly feels justifiable, until it backfires.

    The problem is, rushed hiring rarely leads to smart hiring. According to a LinkedIn Global Talent Trends report, 89% of bad hires are linked to poor soft skill assessment and rushed decisions. That’s not just a performance problem, it’s a team morale and culture risk too.

    Hiring the wrong person costs businesses up to 30% of that person’s first-year salary, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Imagine throwing that kind of cash into a black hole repeatedly.

    If you’re in a hiring dash right now, pause. Take a deep breath. Let’s walk through the top three mistakes most managers make when hiring in a hurry and how to do better (without slowing down too much).

    Mistake 1: Prioritizing Speed Over Fit

    Hiring “the next available candidate” rarely works out long term. Culture fit, team dynamics, and future potential often get sidelined in the name of speed. And what do you get? Someone who technically ticks the boxes but drains the vibe of your team or quits in three months.

    In fact, companies with strong alignment between culture and talent are 1.8x more likely to report higher performance, according to PwC’s Future of Work study.

    A smarter shortcut? Build a pre-vetted talent pool in advance. If you’re not already using platforms like Anutio (especially for African and immigrant professionals), or Hiretual for AI-driven sourcing, you’re missing a huge chance to hire fast and right. These tools help you stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready in panic mode.

    Always have a “bench” of warm leads even if you’re not hiring today. That way, when a role opens up, you already know who to call.

    Mistake 2: Ignoring Red Flags in Interviews

    Desperation clouds judgment. In rushed interviews, managers tend to overlook warning signs: inconsistent answers, vague responsibilities on resumes, or even attitude issues. You start convincing yourself why it’s okay, “They’re coachable,” “We’ll train them,” “They seem eager.”

    You can’t teach integrity, emotional intelligence, or work ethic in onboarding.

    According to Harvard Business Review, one of the most cited reasons for failed hires is a lack of soft skills, which are often easy to spot if you’re paying attention. But in a rush, we zoom past those gut-check moments.

    A better strategy? Use structured interviews with scorecards, like the Topgrading method, to anchor your decision-making. And if you’re not using tools like VidCruiter or HireVue, you’re leaving too much to guesswork. These platforms help standardize the process and surface patterns you might miss in a quick chat.

    If a candidate can’t give clear examples of past work, lacks curiosity, or overuses buzzwords without substance, pause.

    Mistake 3: Skipping Onboarding Planning

    So you finally found someone. Signed, sealed, starting Monday. Relief, right?

    But then you realize, no onboarding doc, no welcome email, no tools set up. The new hire spends the first week staring at a half-configured laptop and shadowing people who are “too busy” to train them. That’s not onboarding; that’s being set up to fail.

    According to Gallup, only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job onboarding. That’s terrifying when you consider that good onboarding improves new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.

    Even if you’re in a rush, onboarding should never be an afterthought. It’s how you anchor new hires into your culture, expectations, and momentum. Use checklists like ClickUp’s free onboarding template or Trello’s remote onboarding board to create structure, even if you’re building the plane while flying it.

    A rushed hire without onboarding is a ticking resignation letter.

    The Hidden Costs of Rushed Hiring

    Hiring mistakes don’t just cost time, they bleed money, morale, and team momentum. According to CareerBuilder, 74% of employers admit they’ve hired the wrong person for a position. And that’s not even counting burnout from team members who have to pick up the slack.

    A bad hire affects:

    • Team trust: When managers hire recklessly, employees lose faith in leadership judgment.
    • Culture dilution: One toxic or disengaged hire can undermine months of team building.
    • Time lost: From training to managing poor performance to eventual replacement, it’s exhausting.

    Want to visualize this? HeyTaco’s Cost of Turnover Calculator can help you estimate what each bad hire could be costing your organisation, especially in fast-paced or resource-tight environments like nonprofits or startups.

    You’re not saving time when you hire fast. You’re just borrowing problems from the future.

    How to Hire Fast and Smart (Yes, It’s Possible)

    Speed doesn’t have to mean sloppiness. You just need the right guardrails.

    Here’s how high-performing teams balance urgency with excellence:

    • Build a hiring scorecard – Tools like Notion or Workable let you align your team on what “great” actually looks like.
    • Pre-write your job descriptions – Keep evergreen roles on file so you’re not scrambling to craft JD copy at 1 a.m. when someone quits.
    • Use async interview tools – Platforms like Willow and Hireflix help you gather video responses fast, saving you 60% of your screening time.
    • Always be hiring – Even when you’re not hiring. Build your pipeline in advance through career pages, talent newsletters, or partnerships with platforms like Anutio that help you connect with vetted talent across Nigeria and Canada.
    • Keep onboarding plug-and-play – Store your company intro deck, process maps, and welcome checklist in one linkable doc. It makes each onboarding feel intentional even if you’re onboarding during a fire drill.

    Hiring fast isn’t about skipping steps. It’s about streamlining the right ones.

  • Do You Belong on a High-Performing Team? Here’s How to Know

    Do You Belong on a High-Performing Team? Here’s How to Know

    Everyone wants to say they work in a high-performing team. It’s the LinkedIn dream, right? Photos of post-it-filled walls, virtual high-fives, Slack emojis flying around. But the truth is, not everyone fits into these kinds of teams, and not every team is actually high-performing. Just because everyone’s busy doesn’t mean everyone’s aligned.

    So how do you know if you’re the kind of person who thrives in a team that moves fast, pushes hard, and grows together?

    This isn’t just about personality tests or job titles, it’s about self-awareness, shared values, and how you show up when things get uncomfortable. Whether you’re working in tech, media, education, or even within a social impact organization like Anutio, being on the right kind of team (and being the right kind of teammate) matters for everything from your mental health to your career trajectory.

    What Makes a Team ‘High-Performing’?

    Before you can figure out whether you belong, we need to first define what a high-performing team actually is. Spoiler: it’s not just about KPIs and deliverables.

    According to MIT’s Human Dynamics Lab, high-performing teams have one thing in common: energy, engagement, and exploration. In other words, it’s about how people interact, not just what they do.

    Here’s what usually shows up in these teams:

    • Clarity of purpose. Everyone knows why they’re here.
    • Mutual accountability. No hiding. Everyone owns their results.
    • Psychological safety. People feel safe speaking up (see Google’s Project Aristotle).
    • Healthy conflict and feedback loops. Disagreements happen, but they move the team forward.

    Tools like Atlassian’s Team Health Monitor let you self-assess your team’s strengths and blind spots in areas like alignment, decision-making, and trust. And frameworks like Patrick Lencioni’s “Five Dysfunctions of a Team” are still gold for understanding why most teams fail.

    If you’ve ever worked on a team where you actually looked forward to the Monday morning standup or had a teammate who pushed you to grow, you’ve probably tasted it.

    Traits of People Who Thrive in These Teams

    High-performing teams only work when they’re made up of people who are emotionally agile, curious, and self-managing.

    You don’t have to be the loudest in the room, but you do need to bring the kind of energy that fuels momentum.

    The kind of people who thrive in high-performing teams tend to have:

    • A strong sense of self-awareness: They understand their triggers, their limits, and their unique value. As Tasha Eurich’s research shows, internal self-awareness changes the game for collaboration.
    • A growth mindset: They don’t sulk when corrected, they listen, tweak, and try again. According to Carol Dweck’s work, this mindset leads to higher resilience and better performance over time.
    • Excellent communication habits: They ask questions, seek clarity, and don’t avoid hard conversations. Tools like Crystal Knows can help you understand communication styles across your team.
    • Emotional intelligence (EQ): The ability to regulate your emotions and empathize with others is more valuable than IQ in fast-moving teams. Daniel Goleman’s EQ framework breaks this down beautifully.
    • Accountability without ego: They’re happy to celebrate wins, own their mistakes, and give credit generously. In fact, research from Gallup shows that accountability is one of the strongest predictors of engagement and performance.

    You don’t need to tick every box, but if you read through that list and felt like “Yup, that’s me” or “I’m working on that”, you’re on the right path.

    Red Flags: Signs You May Struggle in High-Performing Teams

    Not everyone wants to be in a high-performing team and that’s okay. These environments aren’t for the faint-hearted. But if you’re constantly clashing with collaborative expectations, missing deadlines, or reacting defensively to feedback, it might be time to pause and reflect.

    Here are a few signs you might find it hard to integrate:

    • You avoid accountability or pass blame – A team is only as strong as its weakest accountability loop. If your instinct is to say “It wasn’t my fault,” you’ll slow everyone down.
    • You find feedback threatening instead of helpful – According to Radical Candor, direct feedback given with care is essential for growth. If you shut down when challenged, that’s a roadblock.
    • You need constant supervision or micromanagement – In high-performing teams, autonomy is sacred. Tools like Trello or Asana exist so everyone stays aligned without being hovered over.
    • You often interrupt, dominate, or withhold info – Teams thrive on psychological safety and open communication. If your style shuts others down, you become the bottleneck.

    If some of these feel familiar, don’t panic. Recognizing these patterns is the first step to unlearning them. High-performance isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being open to growth and change.

    Can You Learn to Belong? Absolutely. Here’s How.

    Let’s get this out of the way: you don’t need to be “born” for high-performing teams, you can grow into them. That’s the beauty of human potential. Most of the people you admire, the calm project manager, the collaborative designer and the visionary strategist learned how to show up like that over time.

    Here’s how you can, too:

    Start With Self-Reflection (and Honest Feedback)

    Self-awareness is the foundation. Use tools like the Johari Window model to uncover the blind spots between how you see yourself and how others experience you. Even better? Ask for feedback through 360-degree reviews if your workplace offers it.

    Ask questions like:

    • What’s it like working with me when I’m under pressure?
    • What’s one thing you wish I’d do more or less of?

    Build Collaboration Skills Like a Muscle

    Join cross-functional projects that push you to work with different people and personalities. Try low-stakes collaboration platforms like Slack’s huddle rooms, or lead a short sprint on Miro or Notion.

    The more you build collaboration as a habit, the less intimidating it becomes. You’ll also learn how to communicate clearly, resolve tension, and co-create without drama.

    Study People Who Thrive in Teams

    Follow managers and culture designers who talk openly about team dynamics. I love what Julie Zhuo (former VP of Product Design at Facebook) shares about building teams, and how The Ready breaks down self-managing teams and team design in fast-paced companies.

    You could also pick up “The Culture Map” by Erin Meyer, which breaks down why cross-cultural team friction happens and how to work through it.

    Practice Small Acts of Psychological Safety

    This doesn’t need to be dramatic. You build trust one conversation at a time:

    • Admit when you’re confused.
    • Ask a quieter teammate for their opinion.
    • Say thank you for feedback, even when it stings.

    According to Amy Edmondson’s research, these micro-moments are what make teams safe—and safety is the birthplace of performance.

    Rewire How You Process Feedback

    Let’s be honest. Getting feedback can feel like a personal attack if you weren’t raised in environments that encouraged it. But reframing feedback as a tool, not a threat, is key. Use the SBI method (Situation, Behavior, Impact) to deliver and receive feedback more objectively.

    Even saying, “Can I sit with that for a bit?” is a professional and self-aware response that shows emotional maturity.

    Why It Matters (and How to Find the Right Fit)

    So… why go through all this reflection, rewiring, and work? Because the quality of the teams you belong to directly affects your career trajectory, your mental health, and your overall sense of meaning.

    We spend a huge chunk of our lives working. The difference between dreading Monday and looking forward to it often comes down to team dynamics, not your actual job title.

    Better Teams = Better Outcomes

    In high-performing teams, you’ll learn faster, grow quicker, and take more meaningful risks. You’ll also get more visibility and promotion opportunities, because leaders trust people who show up as co-creators, not just task-doers.

    As this McKinsey report on team performance shows, companies with strong team cultures report 2.5x higher productivity and retention. Translation: better teams build better careers.

    It Helps You Say ‘No’ to the Wrong Work Environments

    Not every workplace deserves you. If you value collaboration, growth, and shared wins, but you’re stuck in a toxic, top-down culture—you’ll burn out, shrink, or worse, lose your spark.

    Tools like Culture Index, Team Dynamics Profiles, or even simple “vibes checks” during interviews can help you assess whether a company supports high-performance or just pretends to.

    You can also use platforms like Glassdoor or Teamblind to hear directly from employees.

    You Don’t Have to Force It, Just Align With It

    The goal isn’t to become someone you’re not, it’s to become the most aligned version of you. If you’re someone who values excellence, connection, and making real impact, then yeah, you probably do belong on a high-performing team.

    And if you’re still on your way there? Good news. The journey is the training. Every conversation, every uncomfortable feedback moment, every messy sprint, you’re building the muscle to belong.

  • How to Build Trust Fast With a New Team (and Why It Matters)

    How to Build Trust Fast With a New Team (and Why It Matters)

    Building trust with a new team is one of those things that sounds easy until you’re in the room, leading people you barely know, and everyone’s silently sizing you up.

    Trust isn’t just some feel-good HR buzzword. It’s the actual value that powers high-performing teams, especially in fast-paced work environments. Without it, even the most skilled team will operate like a car with the wrong engine oil, grinding, sluggish, and one wrong move away from breaking down.

    I used to think, “Trust takes time, it’ll come. But in fact, it doesn’t just come, certain actions have to lead to its existence. ” A study by The Edelman Trust Barometer reveals that employees are more likely to trust “my employer” than government, media, or NGOs. But that trust isn’t automatic, it’s earned through consistency, empathy, and clarity. And it’s lost just as quickly when people sense politics, power plays, or performance masks.

    In fact, trust is such a key driver of workplace success that companies with high-trust cultures report higher productivity and more engagement, according to PwC.

    So if you’re stepping into leadership, or just joined a new team, don’t wing it. Read this article to find out more on how to walk away with trust-building habits that stick.

    Why Building Trust Quickly Is a Leadership Superpower

    Building trust fast is your secret weapon. It’s not just a “nice to have,” it’s a strategy. Because the faster your team trusts you, the sooner they’ll follow your lead, share openly, and do their best work.

    We’ve all been in those meetings where no one wants to speak first or ask “the dumb question.” That’s what lack of trust looks like and it costs teams big time. According to a 2023 Gallup study, only 1 in 3 employees strongly trust their leadership, and that lack of trust shows up as low engagement, poor retention, and missed goals.

    When trust is present, people perform better, collaborate more openly, and feel psychologically safe enough to challenge ideas (not each other). A great example is Atlassian’s “Team Playbook” which helps teams self-assess their dynamics, with trust being a core metric. That’s because high-performing cultures don’t happen by accident, they’re built on intention and trust, right from the beginning.

    So no, you don’t need six months and multiple coffee chats to start earning trust. You need to show up differently.

    The Trust Triangle – A 3-Part Framework That Just Works

    If you’re looking for a cheat code, let me introduce you to Frances Frei’s Trust Triangle. It breaks trust into three digestible parts: authenticity, logic, and empathy. And you don’t need to master all three at once. You just need to be aware of what leg might be “wobbling.”

    Let’s break it down:

    • Authenticity means showing up as you, not some leadership version of yourself. People can sniff out “corporate voice” in a heartbeat. That’s why Frei, in her TED Talk, says that the moment we edit ourselves too much, we disconnect.
    • Logic is about clarity. Do you actually make sense? Are your decisions and reasoning clear? Teams don’t need you to be the smartest person in the room, they just want to understand your “why.”
    • Empathy is where a lot of leaders fumble, especially under pressure. It’s not about being everyone’s best friend, it’s about showing that you see your team. If you’re jumping straight into deadlines without asking how your people are doing, trust erodes fast.

    So when things feel off in your team, pause and ask:
    “Is my trust triangle intact?”

    It’s a simple check-in that gives you a starting point for repair, before trust cracks into full-blown disengagement.

    What New Leaders Often Get Wrong About Trust

    Stepping into a new leadership role can make you overcompensate. You want to sound capable, look like you’ve got it all together, and gain respect fast. But that’s exactly where many new leaders mess it up.

    Here are the most common missteps I’ve seen (and yes, I’ve been guilty too):

    1. Equating Control with Trust

    Some leaders think being hyper-organized and “on top of everything” earns trust. But it usually just reads as micromanagement. According to McKinsey, people trust leaders who give them room to think, contribute, and grow, not those who hover over every task.

    2. Assuming Your Title Automatically Buys Respect

    Newsflash: your title might get attention, but it won’t guarantee trust. In fact, Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report found that trust in leadership is lower when leaders lean too heavily on positional power rather than relational equity.

    3. Avoiding Vulnerability

    Trying to “look perfect” all the time? Your team sees right through it. One of the fastest ways to build trust is to own what you don’t know and ask for help when needed. That’s not weakness, it’s human. Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability shows us how connection deepens when leaders lead with realness, not armor.

    Trust isn’t built in one grand gesture, it’s built in the micro-moments where your team feels seen, heard, and respected.

    7 Practical Ways to Build Trust With Your Team From Day One

    So how do you actually build trust that sticks without waiting months or faking who you are? These are the trust moves that work fast but feel natural:

    1. Be Radically Transparent

    Let your team know how you think, how you make decisions, and what you expect. Tools like Loom are great for giving quick, informal updates that feel personal and clear.

    2. Set Clear Expectations and Boundaries Early

    Don’t make them guess what success looks like. Asana’s Team Playbook is a great resource for co-creating team norms and responsibilities right from the jump.

    3. Follow Through on Small Promises

    Trust breaks when we drop the ball, even on tiny things. If you said you’d check in or share a resource by Friday, do it. These small wins build big credibility.

    4. Listen 80%, Talk 20%

    In your first few weeks, prioritize 1:1s. Ask open-ended questions like:

    • “What’s something you’d love to change here?”
    • “What’s something you wish leaders understood better?”

    A free tool like Officevibe can help you gather continuous feedback, even anonymously.

    5. Admit What You Don’t Know

    Say, “I’m still learning how this process works. Can you walk me through it?” This disarms defensiveness and signals psychological safety.

    6. Celebrate Micro Wins Loudly

    Public recognition boosts morale. Whether it’s Slack shoutouts or using Bonusly, be the leader who notices effort, not just results.

    7. Create a Ritual of Check-Ins

    Whether it’s a Friday reflection or a quick Monday “mood board,” rituals signal stability. Check out the “Team Health Monitor” by Atlassian for templates that spark real conversations, not just status updates.

    The Role of Culture, Bias & Team History

    Now, let’s talk about something that gets ignored way too often: trust doesn’t look the same in every culture or every team. And if you’re walking into a team that’s been burned before by toxic leadership, poor communication, or organizational chaos, you’re not starting from zero. You’re starting from below the line.

    Culture Shapes Trust

    For instance, in more hierarchical or collectivist cultures (like Nigeria or many parts of Asia), deference and indirect communication might be more common. That doesn’t mean people don’t trust you—it might mean trust looks like “respecting boundaries,” not “oversharing in meetings.”

    Learn how your team members define trust. Erin Meyer’s “Culture Map” is a brilliant resource on this.

    Watch Your Bias

    Trust is also affected by unconscious bias. Who are you giving the benefit of the doubt to? Who are you micro-monitoring? Tools like Project Implicit can help you understand your own patterns.

    Healing Burnt Teams

    Some teams have been through the wringer, maybe the last manager was dismissive, reactive, or just… absent. In those cases, don’t force “team bonding” right away. Start with predictability, clarity, and consistency. That’s what begins to rebuild safety.

    This piece by Deloitte on Inclusive Leadership is a must-read if you’re leading across race, gender, or generational lines.

    Trust Is a Leadership Accelerator

    If you want your team to thrive fast, trust is your launchpad.
    Forget about grand strategies and “10-point culture decks” for a moment, focus on the moments that matter.

    Trust isn’t fluffy. It’s measurable. It’s visible. And it’s a competitive advantage.

    If you build it with intentionality, empathy, and consistency, you’ll unlock more than just performance, you’ll unlock loyalty, innovation, and collaboration that outlives your leadership.

  • The Best Interview Questions to Uncover High-Performance Traits

    The Best Interview Questions to Uncover High-Performance Traits

    Hiring is more than just filling a seat, it’s setting the tone for your culture, productivity, and long-term growth. Yet, so many companies fall into the trap of hiring for credentials over character.

    Things like the “perfect” resume, a few buzzwords, maybe even an Ivy League stamp… and still, something’s off a few months in.What’s missing? Performance that scales.

    Not performance in terms of KPIs only, but the kind that thrives in ambiguity, brings others along, and quietly drives results when no one’s watching.

    In fact, according to McKinsey & Company, high-performing individuals contribute 4 times more productivity than average performers in complex roles. That’s a pretty solid reason to sharpen our hiring lenses.

    Through this guide, we will help you ask better questions. The kind that filter fluff and surface high-performance DNA in any industry, role, or level.

    What Defines a High-Performer

    The definition of “top talent” has evolved. It’s no longer about having the fanciest job title or the longest LinkedIn recommendations.Today, high-performers bring three things to the table:

    Adaptability (they move with change, not against it), Self-leadership (they don’t wait to be told what’s next), and Collaboration without ego (they lead, but they also listen).

    In fact, Deloitte’s 2024 Future of Work report emphasizes that the most in-demand performers are “problem-solvers with tech fluency and human empathy”, a combo that can’t be taught through degrees alone. (Deloitte Report)

    You’ll also find that: Growth mindset now outweighs years of experience (shoutout to Carol Dweck’s research for that). Emotional intelligence is a bigger driver of leadership potential than IQ, as confirmed by this Harvard Business Review article.

    Curiosity and coachability are increasingly seen as key hiring traits in top firms like Google and Netflix (Fast Company).

    So, instead of looking for “culture fit,” forward-thinking companies are prioritizing “culture add” people who can challenge the status quo, offer new perspectives, and bring quiet excellence to the chaos.

    The Psychology Behind Performance: What You Should Be Listening For

    Now here’s the thing most interviewers miss: It’s not just about what the candidate says, it’s about how they say it.You want to listen for storytelling, clarity, and self-reflection. A high-performer doesn’t just drop buzzwords; they walk you through their wins with intention.

    For example:Instead of saying, “I led a team,” they’ll say, “I noticed our team was stuck, so I initiated weekly retros, and we reduced errors by 30% over 6 weeks.” See the difference?

    They don’t rush to take credit. They highlight context, team effort, and what they’d do differently next time.That’s where behavioral interview techniques shine. Tools like the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) are great starting points, but to go deeper, we also love using the DEAR technique:

    • Describe the problem
    • Explain the options you considered
    • Align your decision with the team/mission
    • Reflect on the outcome and growth

    This isn’t just theory. Google’s own Project Oxygen study on what makes effective managers found that listening for these behaviors during hiring helped build stronger, more agile teams.

    So, in a sea of polished answers, your job is to fish for the ones rooted in clarity, action, and evolution.

    Top 12 Interview Questions That Reveal High-Performance Traits

    You don’t need a hundred questions. You just need the right ones, the kind that make people pause, reflect, and reveal how they think.

    Here are 12 powerful interview questions that uncover high-performance DNA, broken into categories:

    For Initiative & Ownership

    1. “Tell me about a time you solved a problem without being asked.” – This is a favorite at companies like Amazon because it aligns with their leadership principle: Bias for Action.

    2. “Walk me through a time you took accountability for a mistake, what happened and how did you respond?” – High-performers take ownership, not just credit.

    For Critical Thinking & Adaptability

    3. “What’s the most challenging decision you’ve had to make at work? What made it difficult?” Listen for how they approached trade-offs, data, and ambiguity.“

    4. Tell me about a time your initial idea failed. What did you do next?”– Great for revealing resilience and learning agility. This question is also backed by IDEO’s hiring model.

    For Collaboration & Influence

    5. “Describe a situation where you had to persuade others who disagreed with you. How did you go about it?”– This tests for influence without dominance.

    6. “What feedback have you received consistently across roles?”– Self-awareness is a hidden gem of high performers.

    For Execution & Results

    7. “Walk me through a goal you hit. What was your strategy, and how did you track progress?”– Pay attention to planning, metrics, and self-monitoring.

    8. “Tell me about a time when you had to deliver under pressure or tight deadlines.”– Look for resourcefulness and calm, not just speed.

    For Creativity & Curiosity

    9. “What’s a project you’re most proud of, and why?”– The “why” often reveals values and deeper motivations.

    10. “What do you do when you don’t know how to do something?”– According to Harvard Business School, curiosity and the ability to learn on the go are top leadership traits.

    For Emotional Intelligence & Growth Mindset

    11. “Tell me about a time someone challenged your idea. How did you respond?”– Resistance to feedback is a subtle red flag.

    12. “What’s something you’ve unlearned in the last year?”– This one’s underrated but powerful. It surfaces flexibility and growth.

    How to Evaluate Responses Like a Pro

    Some people interview like pros… but can’t perform under pressure. Others might stumble through words, but they’re gold once hired.

    Here’s how to go beyond surface-level confidence and really assess:

    • Look for depth over polish

    When a candidate gives a clear situation, decision, and measurable result, you’re dealing with someone who does the work, not just the talking. Vague answers like “I helped the team do better” are red flags.

    • Watch body language and language cues

    High-performers typically speak with clarity, but not cockiness. They often credit their team, use metrics sparingly but meaningfully, and stay calm, even when talking about tough experiences. MIT Sloan research shows that teams led by emotionally aware individuals perform better over time.

    • Use calibrated follow-ups

    Don’t just say “okay” and move on. Try these instead:

    • “What would you do differently now?”
    • “What was the impact on your team or customers?”
    • “How did that experience change the way you lead/work?”

    These help distinguish rehearsed stories from genuine reflection.

    Common Mistakes That Hide or Miss Great Talent

    Even good interviewers make bad calls. Some of the best talent gets passed over simply because the questions or evaluation process was off.

    Here are the usual suspects:

    1. Focusing too much on resumes

    According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends Report, soft skills are more predictive of success than hard skills. Yet, most hiring managers still prioritize experience over mindset.

    2. Using generic or easily Googled questions

    “What’s your biggest weakness?” really? Most high-performers have been coached to give a cookie-cutter answer. Instead, go for personalized behavioral questions tied to the real demands of the role.

    3. Undervaluing quiet performers

    Not all stars are extroverts. According to Susan Cain’s Quiet Revolution, introverted high-performers often get overlooked simply because they don’t “wow” in interviews. Create space for reflection and follow-up questions instead of only rewarding charisma.

    Building Your High-Performer Interview Toolkit

    Now that you know what to ask and how to listen, let’s pull it together into something practical. Here’s how to build an interview flow that attracts and reveals top talent:

    Pre-Interview Toolkit

    • Review the job description with traits in mind, not just tasks.
    • Identify 3–5 must-have traits (e.g., ownership, learning agility, collaboration).
    • Align each trait with a question or scenario in your guide.

    Interview Toolkit

    • Mix structured behavioral questions with casual “curveballs” that break the script.
    • Keep a printed scorecard or use Notion or Greenhouse to track responses.
    • Use a 1–5 scale for each trait and note down actual quotes (not just feelings).

    Post-Interview Debrief

    • Don’t rush the decision. Circle back with follow-up references or second interviews if someone seems promising but didn’t nail the conversation.
    • Cross-check their answers with real-world scenarios or mini case studies (especially for leadership roles).

    And remember, your goal isn’t just to hire someone who can do the job, it’s to hire someone who’ll thrive, grow, and elevate everyone around them. That’s the magic of hiring for high-performance traits.

  • 5 Habits of Managers Who Build High-Performing Teams

    5 Habits of Managers Who Build High-Performing Teams

    We love to talk about “high-performing teams” like they magically fall into place, put a few smart people in a Slack channel, and boom, productivity. But the truth is that great teams don’t build themselves.

    Behind every consistent, collaborative, high-output team is a manager who knows what they’re doing, quietly, consistently, and intentionally.

    Forget titles. The managers who make the real difference aren’t necessarily the loudest or most decorated. They’re the ones who create the conditions for growth, trust, and ownership, on purpose.

    In fact, according to Gallup, managers account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement. That means it’s not your product, your perks, or your mission that makes the difference, it’s the person your team reports to.

    So what exactly do great managers do differently?

    They Prioritize Psychological Safety Over Micromanagement

    If your team is constantly second-guessing, staying quiet, or only bringing “safe” ideas to the table… it’s not a talent problem. It’s a trust problem.

    Top-performing managers understand that performance doesn’t come from pressure, it comes from psychological safety. That’s the belief that your team can take risks, speak openly, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment or embarrassment.

    According to Google’s Project Aristotle, psychological safety was the single most important factor in successful teams, beating out individual skill, tenure, or even workload.

    So how do great managers create it?

    • They ask more questions than they give answers.
    • They normalize saying “I don’t know.”
    • They praise honest feedback, not just good news.

    This doesn’t mean slacking off on standards. It means giving your team the space to fail forward. Because where people feel safe, they get bold and bold teams move fast.

    They Communicate with Clarity, Not Confusion

    A team can’t perform well if they don’t know what’s expected or worse, if they’re hearing five different things from five different channels.

    That’s why the best managers obsess over clarity.

    They simplify goals. They reduce noise. And they make sure the why behind the work is always clear.

    Great communication isn’t about sending more messages, it’s about designing systems where people don’t have to guess. Managers who thrive in high-growth environments often use async tools like Notion to document team rituals, project ownership, and feedback loops, or tools like Loom to deliver context-rich updates without dragging everyone into another meeting.

    Some clarity-building habits to steal:

    • Weekly “What’s Most Important” memos
    • Clear project briefs with definitions of done
    • Regular updates that align effort with goals

    Confused teams freeze. Clear teams execute. Simple as that.

    They Coach Continuously, Not Just During Reviews

    The best managers don’t save feedback for the annual performance review, they make it part of the daily rhythm.

    Why? Because high performers crave feedback, not just praise. They want to know what’s working, what’s not, and how they can level up.

    This doesn’t mean you need to schedule formal one-on-ones every week (although that helps). It means weaving coaching moments into your day-to-day. Think: Slack comments, post-project reflections, or even a simple “what would you do differently next time?”

    Tools like Radical Candor give managers a great model: care personally, challenge directly. That combo builds trust, respect, and growth.

    Even better? Continuous coaching builds a learning culture, one where experimentation is encouraged and improvement is expected.

    Your team shouldn’t need to wait six months to know if they’re doing well. With the right habit, they’ll know every week.

    They Align Roles to Strengths, Not Just Job Titles

    One of the quiet killers of team performance is misalignment between what someone’s doing and what they’re actually good at.

    Great managers don’t just fill seats or assign tasks based on titles, they dig deeper. They ask:

    “What energizes this person?”
    “Where do they naturally excel?”
    “How do I design around their best strengths, not just their résumé?”

    According to Harvard Business Review, people perform best when their roles align with their natural inclinations and core competencies not just their past experience.

    Top managers make time to re-scope roles and reshape responsibilities to fit team members’ evolving strengths.

    Want to be that kind of manager? Try this:

    • Use CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) to identify team superpowers
    • Map projects around people’s “zones of genius” (not just availability)
    • Have regular “role-fit check-ins” to course-correct in real time

    When you align talent to what people actually enjoy, you unlock motivation, reduce burnout, and drive serious results.

    They Celebrate Progress, Not Just Big Wins

    It’s easy to get caught up in the next goal, the next client, the next milestone, especially when the team’s in go-go-go mode.

    But smart managers know that progress fuels performance. People need to see that their work matters now, not just at the finish line.

    A study published by Harvard Business School found that the single most important driver of motivation in the workplace is making consistent progress on meaningful work—even small steps.

    That means:

    • Calling out micro-wins in Slack
    • Sharing before-and-after snapshots of campaigns
    • Kicking off Monday standups with “3 things we crushed last week”

    Agencies like Oyster and Float have even built “win walls” or “praise channels” to normalize celebration, especially in remote environments.

    For more structure, tools like Matter let you build peer-to-peer shoutouts right into your workflow, making recognition automatic and inclusive.

    The big idea? Don’t just wait for the launch party. Celebrate the launch prep too.

    They Don’t Try to Be Perfect, They’re Consistent

    Leadership books don’t tell you: Your team doesn’t need a superhero manager. They just need a steady one.

    High-performing managers show up with consistency, not complexity. They don’t change the rules every week or vanish for long stretches. Their teams know what to expect, how to communicate, and what “good” looks like because it doesn’t keep shifting.

    According to Inc.com, consistency is one of the rarest, but most effective, managerial habits. It builds trust, reduces team anxiety, and sets a strong tone.

    Here’s what consistency actually looks like:

    • Weekly check-ins, even when things are “fine”
    • Clear team rituals (e.g., Monday planning, Friday wins)
    • Following through on what you say, especially when things get messy

    If you say feedback is welcome, but punish dissent, you kill trust.
    If you say deadlines matter, but keep shifting them, you create chaos.

    The most powerful thing a manager can be is predictable in the right ways.

    They Model the Behavior They Want to See

    Want a team that takes ownership, communicates clearly, and grows fast?

    Show them.

    Managers who build high-performing teams don’t just talk about values, they live them. If you want a culture of feedback, give it. If you want your team to ask questions, model curiosity. If you want punctuality, show up on time.

    In fact, a 2023 Forbes article on leadership habits highlighted that employees are far more likely to adopt behaviors they observe in action than those listed in handbooks.

    This means:

    • Admit your mistakes openly
    • Follow your own team processes
    • Show respect in every interaction, even under pressure

    When your team sees that excellence isn’t just expected, but embodied, it becomes the default standard. That’s how culture sticks, not from slogans, but from leaders who walk their talk.

    The secret to building a high-performing team isn’t perfection, it’s presence.
    Not in the “I’m-watching-you” kind of way. But in the “I’ve got your back, and I’m building this with you” way.

    Whether you’re managing three people or thirty, these habits, psychological safety, clarity, feedback, alignment, consistency, recognition, and modeling, aren’t magic tricks. They’re repeatable behaviors that compound over time.

    If you’ve ever looked at a high-performing team and wondered, “How are they doing it?”, the answer isn’t luck. It’s habit.

    So start small:

    • Pick one of the habits above.
    • Try it out for a month.
    • Watch what shifts.

    Because the best teams aren’t born, they’re built.

    And the best managers? They build daily.