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\n\t\tOpinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.\t<\/p>\n
Several years ago, we had an opening for a senior position on our product team. By that point, my company, Jotform, had been in business for a few years, so I was accustomed to the hiring process. It was, however, my first time replacing a high-level employee who had moved on.<\/p>\n
The departing employee had done great work, but now, I had a decision to make: On the one hand, I could hire an outsider with direct experience and ample credentials. Maybe a highly sought-after superstar from another tech company who would make our rivals jealous. The other option: promote someone from within \u2014 a known quantity who understood our culture, values and cared about the vision.<\/p>\n
Both options had their pitfalls. An outsider could be good on paper, but fall flat once in the role. An internal candidate would lack the exact experience the role required, meaning they\u2019d need time to get their sea legs.<\/p>\n
In many ways, hiring externally seemed like a safer bet. After all, they\u2019d not only be bringing the right experience, they might also bring in fresh perspectives and exciting new ideas that would help the company grow. But to me, it was a no-brainer. I promoted one of our junior staff, someone who had worked closely with the outgoing manager. That person is still with us today, now at the executive level.<\/p>\n
Growing a great leader doesn\u2019t happen automatically \u2014 it has to be consciously ingrained in your company\u2019s culture. Here\u2019s how I approach it.<\/p>\n
Regularly switching jobs has become commonplace, especially among younger workers. Research from Randstad found that Gen Z\u2019s average tenure<\/a> in the first five years of their career is just over a year, lower than millennials (nearly two years), Gen X and baby boomers (both nearly three years). Zoomers\u2019 tendency to job-hop isn\u2019t laziness or disloyalty, the report clarifies \u2014 \u201crather, they\u2019re moving because of their ambition and a perceived lack of pathways within the roles they are exiting.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, employees only start looking elsewhere once it becomes clear they don\u2019t see a future at your company. But when you signal early \u2014 I mean \u201cinterview stage\u201d early \u2014 that you\u2019re invested in their growth, you lay the foundation for the long-term.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why when I talk to candidates, I\u2019m looking for more than the skills they have right now. I\u2019m trying to understand who they might become in three, five or 10 years. Do they ask thoughtful questions about our mission? Are they curious about problems outside their immediate job description? Do they talk about wanting to learn, or just about what they already know?<\/p>\n This also means being transparent during the hiring process about what advancement looks like at your company. Don\u2019t oversell or make promises you can\u2019t keep, but do paint a picture of the possibilities. At Jotform, several of our executives started in entry-level positions over a decade ago, and we\u2019re proud of our mentorship program that gives interns and new hires a direct path to growth. We want our people to stay with us for a long time, and we want them to want that, too.<\/p>\n One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is waiting until someone has checked every box before entrusting them with more responsibility. But perfect is the enemy of good, and in that process, your potential leaders will leave to find opportunities elsewhere.<\/p>\n I learned this during my parental leave a few years ago. I needed to step away for several months, which meant delegating responsibilities I\u2019d never handed off before. I trained several employees to handle tasks I\u2019d always done myself, from product decisions to strategic planning. I was nervous to leave, of course, but I was also confident that they\u2019d step up while I was away.<\/p>\n And they did \u2014 in fact, I was surprised to see that some of them did certain things better than I ever had. In the same way a plant\u2019s roots expand when transplanted to a larger pot, good employees grow into bigger roles when given the space to do so.<\/p>\nHand off responsibility before they\u2019re \u201cready\u201d<\/h2>\n