Hire for desire

The most important attribute to recruit for isn't competence, it's desire. Competence can be taught. Desire can't.

Research across multiple domains (mindset, grit, adaptive performance, coachability), has found desire to do the work predicts long-term contribution and growth better than competence alone.

When you hire someone, or look to recruit someone to collaborate with you, you're not just acquiring a skillset. You're inviting another human into your system, with their fears, ambitions, and hunger (or lack of it).

A competent person who’s unmotivated will do what’s required, nothing more. They’ll wait for instructions. They'll avoid the edges where problems and opportunities live. They won't come with ideas on how to do better.

But someone who wants to learn, contribute, and solve? They’ll stretch. They'll ask the extra question. They'll spot the broken process and fix it without permission.

They'll see possibilities others walk past. They are the fuel of collaboration in a team.

Hiring for competence feels safe. Hiring for desire, creates safety.