Show me a leader who complains that “My team just can’t think for themselves,” and I will show you a leader who secretly loves it.
The Insecurity Trap
Insecure leaders have a subconscious hiring filter:
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They reject candidates who are smarter than them (Threat).
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They reject candidates with high self-esteem (Hard to control).
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They hire “Mediocre Profiles” who will follow orders and never challenge the throne.
The Result: The Army of Midgets
David Ogilvy famously gave his managers Russian Dolls. Inside the smallest doll was a note: “If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.”
If you hire for Control, you sacrifice Scale. You can control a mediocre team, but you cannot scale them. You become the bottleneck.
The Protocol: The Threat Assessment
When you interview a candidate, pay attention to your own fear.
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The Feeling: “This guy is arrogant. He might be difficult.”
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The Reality Check: Is he arrogant, or is he just competent?
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The Sovereign Rule: If a candidate doesn’t intimidate you slightly, do not hire them.
High Agency > High Obedience
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Obedience: “I did exactly what you said.” (Safe, slow, requires micromanagement).
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Agency: “I didn’t do what you said because I found a better way.” (Risky, fast, requires trust).
You cannot build a Unicorn with obedient sheep. You need wolves. But to lead wolves, you cannot be a shepherd. You must be the Alpha.
#DhandheKaFunda: If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room. Or you built the wrong room.