When you're hiring, it's all about the operating system

Forgive me for stating the obvious: the people you hire are the largest determinants of your success.

And while that’s certainly true for large, established companies, the stakes are even higher for entrepreneurs and their start-ups.

Who you build your company with is just as important as what you build. Hiring creates culture and it’s worth taking the time to move slowly and make the right decision.

I’m often asked what kind of profile I look for when I’ve hired people.

The answer is simple: intellectual capacity.

To me, this means evaluating how able a candidate is to handle large amounts of complex, unstructured information and still make reasonable decisions.

What’s the speed of the “CPU” their brain is running on?

To be clear, this is distinct from core intelligence or IQ. It’s about the ability to see and discern patterns and what they mean for an organization and the execution of your job.

Anybody can be taught the skills needed to succeed in a certain job. But the operating system is impossible to upgrade, so make sure you take a good look under the hood before you buy.

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