Founder MindsetEmerging Pattern

Hire people who anticipate their future role and learn ahead of needing skills

The best employees for scaling companies are those who look ahead to what their role will become in 6 months and proactively develop the necessary skills. They're curious enough to educate themselves rather than being consumed by their present job.

When to use

When hiring for roles that will evolve with growth; when assessing which current employees will scale with the company

Don't do this

Hiring people who only do their present job well without forward-looking curiosity; not assessing for learning agility in interviews

2 Founders Who Did This

1
Stripeby Claire Hughes Johnson

Identified that successful country managers were those who relished expansion challenges, asked for constant feedback, and educated themselves about local markets

Result:Pattern-matched hiring on these traits for future country managers led to better scaling outcomes
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2
Quipby Molly Graham

Graham explains that high performers at scaling companies redefine their jobs every 3-6 months, becoming adept at handling the discomfort of rapidly changing responsibilities. At Quip, her job content shifts radically every three months.

Result:Employees who master this skill grow from early individual contributors to department leaders as the company scales
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