Gretchen Leslie: Operational Genius Reveals How To Hire (& Keep!) Top Talent - Part 2

You hired a new member of your small-but-mighty team. But it’s a few months in and something feels…off. How do you know if it’s time to part ways, or if it’s a coachable situation?

It all starts with your organization’s values. 

In part two of our conversation, Gretchen Leslie, President of I Will Teach You to Be Rich, who successfully leads a multimillion-dollar company with just nine people, shares her secrets to hiring individuals that perfectly reflect her company's core values. 

We dive deep into Gretchen's values-based interview process, her tips for treating candidates well to set the right organizational tone, and the importance of clarity in defining roles. She explains how to set new hires up for success with precise plans for their first 90 days. 

Gretchen also emphasizes the importance of feedback within business partnerships. She shares why meditation is crucial for processing feedback and explains how to respond to criticism without losing your cool.

Here are the key takeaways from our conversation with Gretchen:

Hire for Values:

The secret to massive growth with a lean team is hiring individuals aligned with your core values. Gretchen shares how she embeds her values into every part of her company, starting at the interview stage. This approach ensures that you bring on team members who are not just skilled but also passionate advocates of your brand ethos.

Foster Growth Through Feedback and Reflection:

Gretchen shares her tactics for integrating constructive feedback and self-awareness into your growth strategy. She explains the importance of giving and receiving feedback that respects the creative process and the emotional context of the individuals involved. She discusses her 1-10 feedback scale to gain more nuanced insights and her meditation tips for processing feedback without losing your cool.

Forge a Clear Path for New Hires’ Success:

Gretchen explains how to set new employees up for success in their first 90 days. She shares about identifying specific markers to hit at 30, 60, and 90-day intervals. Implementing a structured onboarding process empowers new team members with clarity and direction, allowing them to contribute to your business quickly and effectively. Leslie shares how this approach has enabled her nine-person team to surge to multimillion-dollar growth.

Jump into the Conversation:

[02:09] Connecting organizational values and actions

[09:40] Starting the hiring process with specific role objectives and clear success metrics

[15:29] Assessing candidates’ fit with test projects

[21:43] The importance of frequent, informal feedback

[30:16] Responding to feedback without losing your cool

[44:00] Gretchen’s recommendations for finding a stellar operational partner

Continue the conversation with these resources:

Follow Gretchen Leslie on LinkedIn

Read Traction and Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman

Reach out to EOS Worldwide for integrator recommendations