As I continue to work with my clients and Canadian small business owners, one challenge keeps popping up: staffing. The Economist even calls it “the single biggest problem in business today.” It’s not just about filling seats; it’s about getting the right people on the bus.

Jim Collins nailed it in Good to Great: “First Who, Then What.” He explains the idea of getting the right people on the bus, and then figure out where to drive it. But here’s the catch: hiring is hard. And when you’re a small business owner, you’re not just looking for someone who can do the job; you’re looking for someone who fits like the last puzzle piece in your company.

The headache of hiring doesn’t end there. Let’s not forget that people management is non-billable work and effort. It’s like trying to keep a houseplant alive, you can’t just water it once and forget about it. It takes time, energy, and sometimes, you still end up with a withered fern.

Let’s Step It Up!

A couple strategies that were a game-changer in my recent hiring process for a bookkeeping extraordinaire was behavioural interviewing and skills assessment.

Skills Assessment

Skills assessment involves asking a candidate to perform tasks as a test to see if they have the right skills to thrive in your work environment. Instead of asking, “Are you comfortable in a digital environment?” I flipped the script. During the video interview, I had the candidate dive right into the accounting platform, performing regular tasks. Watching them use a computer for just five minutes taught me more than any yes-or-no question ever could. It’s the difference between reading about how to ride a bike and actually riding one.

Behavioural Interviewing

Behavioural interviewing involves asking a candidate scenario questions, such as “What would you do if…” or “Tell me a time when…”. The power of behavioural questions can’t be overstated. Instead of “Are you able to handle frustrated clients?” ask, “Tell me about a time when a client of yours was frustrated and how you navigated that.” This approach digs deeper, uncovering real experiences and skills that a simple “yes” can’t reveal. It’s about finding out who can thrive in the environment you’ve built, not just who can survive it.

Time To Read!

If you’re looking to dive deeper into building a great team, here are a few book recommendations that have been valuable in my own journey:

• “Ideal Team Player” by Patrick Lencioni: This book is a must-read for anyone looking to understand what makes a team member truly great. Spoiler alert: it’s not just about talent.
• “Good to Great” by Jim Collins: As quoted above, this book has been a great stepping stone to learn what to think about during the hiring process. Collins dives into the importance of getting the right people on the bus before figuring out the destination.
• “Who” by Geoff Smart and Randy Street: A practical guide to hiring, this book offers a clear process for getting the right people into your organization.

In the end, the hiring process is a journey. It’s not about finding someone to fill a role; it’s about finding someone who will help drive your business to new heights. Getting to the destination will have fewer on and off ramps.

May you be empowered;

To learn more about specific tips and tricks for your company, contact Shanalisa!

Shanalisa Keller is a CPA, CGA and Coactive Trained Coach who founded and leads the team at Canadian Finance Gal. She has a desire to make personal and business finances less daunting and confusing. ⁣⁣She loves accounting and tax and wears the respective geek label with pride. When Shanalisa is not counting beans you can find her mixing a fun new cocktail or building a tasty charcuterie board.⁣⁣ You can read her other blogs on various small business topics here,  book a chat or coffee or wine with her here, or you can find her on LinkedIn (her favourite social platform).