Featured Image Credit: Gratisography
"I think there is nothing cooler than being a lone wolf. Except at wolf picnics when you don't have a partner for the wolf wheelbarrow races." – From Norm Macdonald Live.
For years on customer calls, the primary reason people anger is feeling a loss of control. They don't have control over the situation. It is in the hands of some employees. Worse, a person who has no vested interest in the outcome.
We all have our own way we like to doing things. To have your fate in the hands of someone else is frustrating.
It isn't just on the phone. Studies in the 2010s showed people generally didn't like their jobs. Other unofficial studies showed most people don't feel they have control over their lives.
This powerlessness we experience is why the lone wolf hero is such a popular movie genre.
Sacrificing your life for your child is the ultimate demonstration of love. Every parent imagines they would do anything for their child. Many have. What if something happens to them and you have to put your faith in others? It can be difficult.
This is part of what makes Taken with Liam Neeson so attractive. What parent wouldn't want the ability to rescue their child? No depending on police with their miles of red tape. No depending on government agencies with bureaucracies. Just you, your knowledge, and revenge.
Being able to make it on your own speaks to the soul.
The entrepreneur who built a significant business by themselves. A single parent who put themselves through school and became a success. Someone from a developing country emigrated and found themselves running a business.
It is a fun thought, but it isn't reality. In reality, the best fighters can get beat by overwhelming numbers or circumstances. We are not Liam Neeson in Taken.
Being a lone wolf is also lonely. Unsurprising. It can increase stress levels, putting the world's weight on your shoulders. It can be stressful to manage people. They will inevitably let you down a time or two.
I lack the powers to give you a feeling of control over your own life. All I can offer are a few tips and thoughts to help you find the right team.
Embody the Culture
Leadership expert John C. Maxwell explains that a quality leader is a key to quality people. Before you can hire people for your team or bring them into your life, you must improve yourself.
You must embody the culture you want to become your life. If you spend all your time around gang members, you will be in shootings. You will get corrupted if you spend most of your time around the corrupt.
If you spend your time around top-level athletes, you won't become a top athlete. You'll learn the way they became the best. The proper habits, the right schedule, and so on. If you want a fun and light company atmosphere, then embody it.
If you want an atmosphere of seriousness and dedication, become it. People who spend time around you will know whether it is a good fit. So will you.
It starts with you when bringing in the right team.
Discover their Values
Having shared values help to drive unit cohesion. This doesn't mean finding people just like you. It means finding people who value the same things regarding the relationship. Are you driven by customer satisfaction? Find similarly driven people.
Are you driven by details or pride in your work? Find others who will take great pride in the work.
Working at Apple under Steve Jobs was notoriously stressful. He was a demanding and, at times, a cold leader who demanded perfection. People stayed at the company because they believed in the products.
They believed they were changing the world. Values are critical for success.
If you share values, you are already headed in the right direction.
Hire for Attitude, Train for Talent
There is a belief if you stack a team with all of the top talents, you will be successful beyond measure. This hasn't ever panned out consistently. We've seen it in sports. In the early 2000s, the Yankees had purchased all the top talent in baseball.
Outside of three straight titles ending in 2000, they didn't win again for nine years.
Lebron James joining the Miami Heat created a super team. Three of the best players in the league in one place. While winning two titles in four years, they fell short of expectations.
Talent is great to have. You go farther if you find people with the best attitude and who are coachable. These people will learn to become your Most Valuable Players.
A great talent with a bad attitude can hurt the team. There isn't room for multiple superstars but always room for great role players.
What's Next?
People despise not having control, especially in their business. It is your name, brand, and reputation on the line.
You will eventually have to trust others to grow to lofty heights.
One way to find those you can trust is to embody the culture you are creating. You can say you have a fun work environment. It isn't believable if you don't act like you're having fun.
Attract what you want by living it. Be and meet with people that fit the culture you are creating.
Discover the values of the people you are looking to find. Do they share your affinity for quality and detail? Are they passionate about delivering top-shelf customer service?
Hire people who would make a good fit. It is tempting to think every one must be a high-level professional. The most successful teams build around superstars with solid role players.
Find people who will do a good job and be consistent, and you'll go far.
The myth of the lone wolf is attractive because it empowers. It gives us a feeling of control. If we could do what they do, life would be great.
We can become far more successful by finding the right people to partner with. Find others who share your values. Those who embody the culture you want.
Begin building today.