Who

The A Method for Hiring

by Geoff Smart, Randy Street

4.5(2,526 ratings)

14 min read

Brief overview

This book explains a straightforward yet powerful approach to hiring people who can truly drive performance. By focusing on who decisions before what decisions, you learn a method that helps you consistently recruit and develop top talent so your organization thrives.

Introduction

Have you ever felt like you’re constantly putting out fires in your organization or on your team? Much of that comes from having the wrong people in key positions. This book starts with a simple yet game-changing premise: who you hire matters more than anything else. With a strong team, fine-tuning strategy and tactics becomes far easier.

Two management experts set out to solve hiring problems once and for all. They combined extensive research with real-life stories of leaders who mastered the art of people decisions. The result is a method that helps you avoid the typical 50% hiring success rate and dramatically improve your odds.

In the pages that follow, you’ll find a step-by-step approach to recruiting, assessing, and securing A Players. These lessons come from CEOs, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who have learned to build strong teams. By the end, you’ll see how focusing on 'who' over 'what' leads to the long-term success you dream about.

Success in business isn’t about perfect plans; it’s about having the right people to carry them out.

Your #1 Problem: The People Factor

Many executives assume their biggest problem is shaping a brilliant strategy or delivering the perfect product. But research suggests the main struggle stems from weak hires. A bad hire can cost a company up to 15 times the person’s annual salary when you account for lost productivity, morale hits, and the hassle of replacing them.

The authors discovered that serious performance shortfalls often aren’t about complicated business models or fierce competition – they’re typically due to the wrong person in a critical seat. Fixing these so-called “who” mistakes pays off more than any single product launch or marketing initiative ever could.

In one example, a tech CEO struggled because his sales VP underperformed. After stressful years, he replaced that person with an 'A Player' and immediately saw sales skyrocket. By switching focus from 'what can I do?' to 'who can do it best?' he transformed his bottom line and regained balance in his life.

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What is Who about?

"Who: The A Method for Hiring" by Geoff Smart and Randy Street is a comprehensive guide that distills the complexities of hiring into an actionable, repeatable method. This book brings to the forefront the premise that 'who' you hire significantly impacts your organization's success more than 'what' you choose to do. The authors, through a blend of rigorous research and real-world scenarios, introduce readers to a foolproof method designed to improve your hiring decisions and ultimately drive organizational success.

Delving into strategic practices, the book explores how to build a robust pipeline of potential candidates and emphasizes the importance of structured job roles defined by a 'Scorecard.' By focusing on key responsibilities and measurable success outcomes, you learn to standardize processes, making hiring more strategic than instinctual. "Who" also addresses practical interview techniques, helping managers confidently evaluate potential hires' skills and cultural fit, minimizing costly hiring mistakes.

Why does "Who" matter? It demystifies the hiring process and transforms it from chaotic guesswork into a streamlined, strategic effort. By aligning employee roles with company goals and ensuring cultural fit, businesses stand to gain in efficiency, productivity, and team morale. For leaders seeking sustainable growth, this book provides the essential tools to redefine how talent is recruited and integrated into their organizations, making it a cornerstone read for any ambitious business leader.

Review of Who

"Who: The A Method for Hiring" excels in transforming the typically emotional and nerve-wracking hiring process into a logical, strategic system. The authors break down the components of hiring with precision, offering a clear guide to not just recruiting "A Players" but also ensuring they align perfectly with the organization's vision and culture.

A key strength of the book lies in its methodical approach to evaluating candidates through structured scorecards and interviews. Rather than the usual gut-based decisions, the scorecard technique keeps hiring managers focused on the core competencies and key outcomes specific to each role. This ensures that new hires aren't just skilled, but are tangibly contributing to business goals.

Smart and Street also invest significant effort in addressing common pitfalls like poor cultural fit, which often disrupt team synergy despite technical proficiency. Their advice on continuously sourcing talent, even when positions are filled, is particularly relevant for dynamic business environments today.

With its insightful blend of practicality and theory, this book is a must-read for business leaders, HR professionals, and recruiters who value evidence-based solutions over subjective judgments. Its actionable insights make it accessible for all, from seasoned executives to young entrepreneurs just beginning their journey.

Given its comprehensive nature and accessible tone, "Who: The A Method for Hiring" is a benchmark guide to talent acquisition. Its strategies and recommendations can be transformative for any organization striving to optimize its workforce.

Who should read Who?

Business Leaders pursuing organizational growth through effective team building.
Human Resource professionals seeking structured, bias-free hiring methodologies.
Entrepreneurs aiming to establish a strong foundational team for startup success.
Recruiters interested in enhancing their traditional hiring processes with data-driven techniques.
Managers looking to refine interview and assessment skills to improve team dynamics.

About the author

Geoff Smart and Randy Street are the co-authors of "Who: The A Method for Hiring". Geoff Smart is the Chairman and Founder of ghSMART, a global leadership advisory firm, with a Ph.D. in Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. Randy Street is the Vice Chairman of ghSMART, with over 30 years of experience advising leaders, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rice University. Together, they have written a bestseller that has received numerous awards, including the "Best 30 Business Books Award" and being named a top seven "Best Advice" book for leaders by The Wall Street Journal.