“Why hire her, she is too good, and will take your job!”

What a weird discussion I had with a colleague some years ago, about a candidate I wanted to hire. My answer then: “I do hope she is, because it is exactly the reason why I hire her!”

To me, she was the perfect addition to my team. She fit in well with our team culture, and she brought unique skills to the team. But most importantly, I identified that this person had the potential to challenge me, get me out of my comfort zone, and potentially also teach me a few things.

The decision was a no-brainer. If I stop learning at work, what is the point then, and how can I expect to continue to grow?

Hiring this person was the best way to ensure I stayed engaged, be challenged, learned from people. And of course, my goal was that she would ultimately replace me when I decide to do something else.

And for you, how have you coped in the past with hiring somebody potentially better than you? How easy was it to make that decision? If you did not hire the person, what was the fear then? What did you learn from that process? Let me know in the comments.

For comments or questions, please visit my website or contact me at pascal@p-m-coaching.com