Topic for Discussion: How do you find people that you like?

Answer: Slowly and carefully. At the French Laundry, Thomas is concerned about the team because they have to work in such close proximity to one another. We have never seen anything like what we saw in the kitchen. Thomas even says that the kitchen personnel have to be like dancers who perform a ballet every night. Translate that comment to mean that each person must be nimble and thin. In fact, there were no large or overweight employees at The French Laundry just as there are no overweight dancers on the payroll of a dance company.

What does this have to do with liking a person? People are a total package and how they appear will tell you a lot about how they will fit in to your existing organization. Also, like attracts like. Thomas Keller is nimble and thin so he is attracted to this type of person. At The King Company, which was founded by a former football coach, we found plenty of former athletes on the payroll. These men continue to lift weights -- in fact there is weight lifting equipment in the warehouse for anyone to use -- and most of them coach little league teams and encourage their children to be physically active.

Nicole Miller, the founder of the fashion house that bears her name, told us she only hires people she likes. Nicole didn't have to explain her philosophy to us and because her firm is small, she doesn't have regulators crawling all over the place making sure she gives every person who is seeking a job an unfettered opportunity.

The people part of running a business is the hardest part and strong small business owners have figured out there is a science and an art to hiring. If a person has all of the qualifications for the position, they still might not be hired if the owner doesn't have a good feeling about the person. Wanda Brice is owner of a professional staffing company and she told us that she only hires nice people. We think this is another way of saying she only hires people she likes.

Back to the question: how does one determine if one likes another person? You should first trust your instincts and second you should give yourself time to validate your first impression. Wanda Brice says never hire a person without a trial period. She gives herself, her staff and a new hire a 90-day trial. During the first 90 days, either the new hire or the employer can decide to dissolve the relationship with no penalties. We know of many mediocre business owners who rush to hire a qualified warm body and are sorry later when they discover the technically qualified person is not a pleasure to have around.

You think about it: Do you like everyone who is on your payroll? How did you end up with people you don't like? What should you do to change your hiring process?