What to Look for When Hiring a COO for Your Startup

What to Look for When Hiring a COO for Your StartupIf you want to continue growing your startup and have a valuable business, it is important to know the next steps required to ensure the continued success of your startup.Randy H Nelson, author of The Second Decision, points out that one of the key things you need in your business is a solid right hand leader to help implement structure and processes within your startup.When youve reached this step in your startup, you need to think about hiring a COO to help in the day to day leadership responsibilities while you stay focused on the strategic side of the business.Hiring your COO is a big step and it is important that you know what to look for in that individual. There are 5 key traits to search for in your COO 1. Leadership QualitiesOf course, the first thing you need to look for in your COO is strong leadership skills. Look for individuals who have prior leadership experience. This experience doesnt necessarily have to be within yo ur industry.When you are einstellungsgesprching candidates, ask creative interview questions about their past leadership experiences and how they would handle certain situations that may arise within your startup.2. Patience with a Sense of UrgencyYour startup likely needs to operate quickly in the business if you want to stay ahead of bigger competition. That means that your COO must be able to quickly make the right decisions when it comes to day to day operations.However, at the same time you need someone who is patient and understands that it takes time and effort to grow a successful company. Having a leader on your team who is patient but also operates with a sense of urgency is detrimental to your startups success.3. Ability to Hold the Team AccountableA key responsibility of your COO will be holding your team accountable and ensuring that the day to day operations are most effective.If you want a COO who can hold your team accountable, you will need someone that your team wi ll look up to as a leader.Some of the top ways that leaders earn the respect of their team is by understanding each part of the business. You will want a COO who is not afraid to get his hands dirty and be involved in many of the day to day tasks that your team is responsible for. When your team knows that their leader is just as knowledgeable in each part of the business, they will have a new found respect for him.By having a hands-on leader, it will be easier for him to keep the team on track and know exactly how the business should operate.4. Ability to Implement New Processes and ProceduresYour COO will be someone who has previous leadership experience in small companies. When you have an individual who has been involved in developing and implementing processes in similar environments to your startup, they should be able to do the same in your startup.This is a necessary skill in order to further grow and develop your startup.5. Understands and Believes in your einbildungPerhaps one of the most important things to look for in your COO is the understanding and belief in your vision.Having a right hand person on your leadership team who stands behind you and your vision is instrumental to your startups success. Your COO will need to be working with you in the same direction, towards the same goals.When searching for the right COO for your startup, pay attention to the individuals passion, desires, and ultimate goals. If these fall in line with yours, then you are on the right track.What are some other things that you are looking for in hiring your COO?

How to use the first 5 minutes of networking to impress

How to use the first 5 minutes of networking to impressHow to use the first 5 minutes of networking to impressAnyone who saw the news story about the Facebook data breach likely had the same reaction.Sigh, of course that happened.Who today is surprised at a massive data leak? Maybe the Target credit card debacle gave you pause. Or the Equifax breach. But now? Security breakdowns are so common we can only shake our heads.Excuse me while I seek credit monitoring tafelgeschirrs forever.The predictable is painful. That goes for data breaches and how we interact with one another. You know what happens at a happy hour when you talk and talk?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe other people stand around and think Sigh, of course that happened. They become bored while you dominate the conversation.Thats why, in the first five minutes of any conversation, the smartest networkers do what n o one expects they only ask questions.Yep, the best small talkers play the role of reporter and ignore their own back-stories. How? They use the six most powerful words in networking. I include two of those powerful words in bold down below.Smart networker Where do you work?Person Im a sales rep for iHeartRadio.Smart networker Oh, cool. Whats it like to work there?Person Its a pretty cool place. We often get tickets to free concerts and access to new music.Smart networker Thats pretty sweet. What shows have you seen recently?Person Well, lets see. Back in December I saw You ask a question. And then another. And then another. Youll get to your own life soon enough. Stay in the moment.Watch what happens as the conversation ensues.Smart networker Wow, you get to see all kinds of cool concerts. Do you have to work at the shows too?Person Yea, at the show in December, I had to work the merchandise table because the company who usually handles that service dropped the ball at the last mi nute, and now were looking for another partner.Smart networker Oh, interesting. You know I work for a staffing agency and we provide employees for short-term gigs like that.Person Oh, really? Email me tomorrow and Ill put you in touch with our HR director.Do you see my point? If you remain laser focused on the other person, you will take the conversation WAY beyond Whats your name? and Where do you work? Now youre in the opportunity realm where a meaningful conversation can lead somewhere substantial.OK. Times up We reached five minutes into a networking conversation.Now what?If you want talk further, you have two options1. Wait for the person to say OK, enough about me. Tell me about you. Thats always best. You spent ample time in question mode, and now its your turn to dish out some answers.2. The person might NEVER say Tell me about you. Weve all met that guy or girl. Clueless to the world. When the person gives you a break in the conversation, interject with your own info.Thats a cool story. It reminds me of a situation at my job Heres the bottom lineWhether you have the chance to tell your lifes story or not, you already got what you came for, so to speak. You (nicely) interrogated someone else, gained knowledge you didnt have and perhaps found a way to network further.All from the first five minutes. All because you asked questions.Thiscolumnfirst appeared onDannyhRubin.com.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people