ON HIRING, INSPIRING

Hiring good people is hard. Hiring great people is brutally hard. Yet nothing matters more in winning than getting the right people on the field, then guiding them on the right way to succeed and get ahead.

Before you even think about assessing people for a job, they have to pass through three screens. The first test is for integrity. People with integrity tell the truth, and they keep their word. The second test is for intelligence. The candidate has a strong dose of intellectual curiosity, with a breadth of knowledge to work with or lead other smart people in today's complex world. The third ticket to the game is maturity--the ability to handle stress and setbacks, and enjoy success with equal parts of joy and humility.

I then apply the "4-E (And 1-P) Framework'' for hiring that I've found consistently effective, year after year, across businesses and borders. The first E is positive energy. It means the ability to go go go--to thrive on action and relish change. The second E is the ability to energize others, and inspire them to take on the impossible. The third is edge, the courage to make tough yes-or-no decisions. The fourth E is execute--the ability to get the job done. Then I look for that final P, passion--a heartfelt, deep and authentic excitement about work.

When you actually interview somebody for a job, make sure every candidate is interviewed by several people. Over time, you will find that some people in your organization have a special gift for picking out stars and phonies. Rely on them. Make sure you exaggerate the challenge of the job; describe it on its worst day. As you crank it up, see if the candidate keeps saying, "Yes, yes, yes!" If he does, you should worry that he has few other options, if any. Be impressed if the candidate starts peppering you back with hard questions.

Don't check just the references the candidate gives you. Call around, and don't allow the conversation to be perfunctory. Stop yourself from just hearing the good news you want to hear. Challenge anything that sounds like lawyer-speak.

The most important question to ask in an interview: Why did the candidate leave his previous job, and the one before that. Was it the environment? The boss? The team? What exactly made her leave? Maybe the candidate just expects too much--he wants a boss who is entirely hands-off or teammates who always agree. Maybe he wants too much reward too fast. Or maybe she's leaving her last job because she has just what you want.

So you've made your hire. What to tell them about how to get ahead? Basically, getting promoted is a matter of dos and don'ts:

Do perform far beyond expectations, and expand the boundaries of your job.

Manage your subordinates with the same care that you manage your boss.

Get on the radar screen by being an early champion of your company's major projects or initiatives.

Search out lots of mentors.

Have a positive attitude and spread it around.

Don't make your boss use political capital in order to champion you. And don't let setbacks break your stride.