Creating a start up the Business as Unusual way- hiring, 5 steps
Usual way- get clear on roles and needs and hire/provision accordingly
Business as Unusual way – (= Syntropic Way)
(1) Send out a participation document to people who have demonstrated an interest in what you are doing and who are aligned with your purpose in both spirit and attitude.
(2) Ask people how they would most like to participate, and give them at least 6 domains of consideration. These domains include matter, money/currency, knowledge, tools and technology, warm data and wellbeing.
(3) Then ask people how they want to be acknowledged, and again give them at least 6 domains of consideration as above, including money. Almost everyone I have ever met wants to be acknowledged in many more ways than just money. Indeed, the only people you would want working for you in a Business as Unusual Syntropic Enterprise are those who want a whole host of things and the money. These things might include working with a brilliant team, the knowledge they gain, the sense of contribution they are making, the opportunity to make a difference, etc. The point is to make these other acknowledgements clear from the beginning and recognised as valuable.
(4) Once the participation document has been completed, schedule a discussion. This discussion is designed to get crystal clear on the participation and acknowledgement relationship, qualities and depth, to surface any elements that have not been stated, to speak into expectations, and to create agreement. This meeting also includes an agreement around accountability, learning, development, breakdowns, and breakthroughs. (we call it the Trust Manifesto)
When you have reached agreement, let them know that they are responsible for communicating if either sides of the participation agreement has changed for them. Which it will. You, as leader, will do the best you can to be in close relationship with the changes, however as the organisation grows, everyone needs to be responsible for their experience of participating in a way that adds the most value and for being acknowledged as they feel is appropriate. This is a negotiation, not everyone will get what they want exactly.
(5) Once this has been done, any gaps will become evident. For example, if you now know that you require someone on the team with a specific skill, then you put your antennas up for that person to find a path to your door.
The aim of this is to get people from the very first relationship to nominate how they want to contribute and how they want to be acknowledged and to build responsibility and accountability into that. We want people to be bringing their best skills to the conversation, to be growing and evolving in their capacity and capability, to feel deeply acknowledged, to see value above and beyond the single lens of money, and to hold themselves to account.
This is how we built Big Blue Sky.
