Stop Hiring for Skill. Start Hiring for Energy.

One of the most common mistakes I see leaders make is hiring based on resumes and hard skills alone... and yes, attitude does factor in, because you don't want a total jerk in your organization. Don’t get me wrong - skills matter, but if you’re not hiring for energy, you’re setting yourself up for misalignment, culture problems, and a lot of unnecessary headaches.

I’ve coached enough teams to know: energy is the true multiplier: You can have someone with all the right experience, who checks every box on paper. But if they drain the team, clash with your culture, or can’t adapt to the vibe of your business, it won’t work. And it won’t feel good, either.

Here’s a simple framework of 3 benchmarks I use:

• Skill = Can they do the job?

• Will = Do they want to do the job?

• Energy = Do they elevate the room? Or drag it down?

Most people stop at skill. Great leaders hire based on all three. When I look at high-performing teams across industries, the difference isn’t just tactics. It’s energy. People who want to be there. People who are coachable. People who align with the mission and actually raise the standard when they walk into the room.

Sooooo how do you hire for energy?

Start by shifting your interview questions. Instead of asking, "Tell me about your experience with X," try:

• "What type of environment brings out your best work?"

• "How do you respond when something isn’t going your way?"

• "What’s something recent you learned about yourself and how you work with others?"

• "Tell me about a manager you worked for that you enjoyed working for?"

  
  

You’re not just listening for polished answers. You’re looking for cultural alignment, coachability, self-awareness. If you’re a solopreneur thinking this doesn’t apply to you yet? It does. Your first few hires will shape your business for years. Start with the right energy.

Because skills can be taught. Attitude can’t.