Leveraging Operations in Leadership
Most small business leaders are great at what they do but nobody taught them how to build a team around it.
Leveraging Operations in Leadership is the podcast for entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating the shift from solopreneur to team. Hosted by Tonya D. Harrison, Founder of Cignal Partners, each episode blends practical leadership development with the operational systems you need to grow a small team sustainably without burnout or overwhelm.
Whether you're hiring your first employee or learning to delegate as a business owner with a growing team, you'll learn how to:
• Strengthen your decision-making and leadership systems
• Improve team communication, accountability, and performance
• Build business operations that reflect your values and scale with your vision
Great leadership starts with values but it's sustained through systems.
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Leveraging Operations in Leadership
Breaking the Hire, Fire, Rehire Cycle: Building a Stable, High-Performing Team
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Unlock the secrets to breaking free from the exhausting cycle of hiring, firing, and rehiring. What if you could transform your team into a stable, high-performing powerhouse? Join me, Tanya D. Harrison, on the Operations Toolbox podcast, as we explore the strategic steps leaders can take to overhaul their hiring processes and build teams that thrive—and last. We dissect the hidden pitfalls that perpetuate turnover, from unclear expectations to poor onboarding, and discuss actionable solutions to set your team up for sustainable success.
We dive into the importance of aligning new hires with your company's culture and values, going beyond just the technical skills. Discover how standardized interview procedures and team involvement can offer a broader, more inclusive perspective on potential hires. Plus, learn why a structured 30, 60, 90-day onboarding plan is vital for setting the right tone from day one. Embrace a leadership mindset that views employees as long-term investments, and watch your team not only meet but exceed its potential. Tune in to learn how to foster an environment of growth and stability, turning the hiring chaos into a well-oiled machine that propels your business forward.
Take the Leadership Shift Assessment
Find out exactly where you are in your journey from solo operator to team-ready leader. This three-minute diagnostic measures your readiness across four key areas and gives you a specific direction, not a generic score.
https://go.cignalpartners.com/assess
Follow Tonya on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/in/tonyadharrison
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Breaking the Cycle of Hiring Chaos
Speaker 1Welcome back to another episode of the Operations Toolbox podcast , where we help business leaders build and lead high-performing teams using operational strategies and leadership principles . I'm your host , tanya D Harrison , an operations and leadership consultant who's been there , done that , and now I'm helping you avoid some of the common challenges that many team leaders face . Today's topic is one that many business leaders struggle with the never-ending cycle of hiring , firing and rehiring . If you're constantly losing team members or firing them , only to find yourself back to square one trying to fill the same same roles , this episode is for you . We'll break down the reasons behind the cycle , what it is costing your business and you as a leader , and , most importantly , how to break free from it and build a stable , high-performing team . So when we talk about this right , this is something that people think , that this is just the way business is . As a leader , this is something that I'm going to always have to deal with , and that's not the case . Before we get into how to break the cycle , let's start with why this happens .
Speaker 1For many leaders , the cycle begins with a rushed hiring decision . Maybe you are feeling the pressure to fill a role . It could be because you are doing the job or you're a business owner and your business is picking up and you can't keep up with things . Whatever the reason is , it usually stems from rushing right . So you're really trying to rush to fill the role and you don't take the time to vet the candidate , or you don't have some of the processes in place to help you vet the candidate and onboard them successfully , to help you vet the candidate and onboard them successfully . So what we quickly realize is is that when we rush to hire someone and we don't vet them well , and then we bring them on board , we realize that they're not a good fit . They're just not the right fit for this role , and this leads to a termination or they end up leaving . And then here we go again . You're right back at the beginning . So if this sounds familiar , let's talk through this .
Speaker 1The problem with this cycle is that it is incredibly expensive , not just in terms of money , but also time and energy and the toll that it takes on you as the leader and , if you have other team members , the team's morale . So every time you lose someone , productivity hits ground zero , right , and someone else or you have to pick up the slack . This can be extremely taxing on you as a leader , right ? So I mostly work with people who have small teams and there's not 20 other people to pick up the slack , so it really hits home when you lose someone . So sometimes that's why we fall into the other part of this cycle , which is holding on to someone too long just to have a warm body , and we don't want to do that . So here's the thing . The cycle doesn't have to continue .
Speaker 1There are things that we can do to break it , and it starts with identifying what the root causes are , and in my experience , I'm going to share three root causes that are usually tied to this cycle . The first one is lack of clear expectations , and we're going to get into each one of these in a little bit more detail . The second one is lack of clear expectations , and we're going to get into each one of these in a little bit more detail . The second one is poor hiring processes . We don't have things in place to make sure we're hiring the right people . And then the third thing is inadequate onboarding process . Now , again , all of these are things that we could fix . So that's what we're getting ready to do . That's what we're going to talk about how you can break the cycle and how we can get you from this state of overwhelm .
Speaker 1When it comes to the hire fire , rehire cycle , the first thing that I mentioned is lack of clear expectations , right ? So let's start with this . There's no clarity in terms of the role that you wanna hire for . This is one of the most common mistakes I see leaders make , and it's really not having a clear understanding of what it is you need in a new hire . When roles aren't clearly defined , it's easy to hire the wrong person or not provide the right direction for the person you do hire . If your expectations aren't clear to you , they're not going to be clear to your team members . So , without defining roles and responsibilities , the people that you hire tend to struggle to meet your needs . So you really want to take the time to document why are you hiring and what success looks like for this role .
Speaker 1So take a step back and really evaluate the role you're trying to fill . What are the exact responsibilities ? What are you looking for them to do ? Write it down . What skills are non-negotiable ? These are some things that they absolutely need to have , right ? So there's going to be some skills that you're like okay , these are a nice to have . There's going to be some other skills that are non-negotiables . They have to have these skills in order to be successful . And then you want to think about personality traits . If you already have a team , you want to traits .
Speaker 1If you already have a team , you want to understand how are they going to fit within the team dynamic . Not only that , how are they going to fit with you if they are going to be working directly with you ? You don't have a manager in between you and them . They need to understand how you work and they need to be able to vibe with you , and you need to be able to vibe with them . So you need to take these things into consideration . I know a lot of times we think that if we hire someone and they have the right skills , that's all we need , but that's really not the case . They have to be able to vibe and gel with you and your team .
Speaker 1This not only helps you in the hiring process , but it also ensures that your new hire knows exactly what's expected of them from day one . So being crystal clear on expectations is key . It's also crucial to communicate expectations clearly during interviews . We don't want any . I didn't know , I didn't expect you know . I didn't know I had to work so many hours . I didn't know I had to be available from this time to this time . Whatever those things are , you want to be really clear during your interviews , so transparency about job demands is going to be crucial . Also being transparent about growth opportunities and any challenges . That's going to help to filter out candidates who might not be a good fit . And not only that right , it makes you feel better as a leader , because you want to hire from a place of integrity . We're not trying to flim flam somebody . We want to really be open with what the expectations are , so everyone knows what it is that they're getting into and they can come to the role fully with the understanding of what's expected .
Speaker 1The second thing is improving your hiring process . So if you don't have a hiring process or it is kind of weak , this is something that you want to tighten up on . So let's talk about the hiring process itself . Many leaders make the mistake of rushing through the interviews just to get a body in the seat and then you hire them without having a process right . So one of the things that we want to keep in mind with this entire thing you want to be slow to hire fast to fire , but in order to really make this stick , you need to make sure that you're doing your due diligence when you hire . You want to make sure that you have a process in place . What exactly does this look like ? And we want to have something that we can consistently roll out to everyone that we interview with .
Effective Hiring and Onboarding Strategies
Speaker 1Here's a couple of things that you want to include when you are going back and reviewing your hiring process or developing your hiring process . The first thing is you want to have a standardized process , right . So when you're interviewing candidates , you want to have a standardized way of doing it . That way , when you are comparing , you're comparing apples to apples . This is from the set of questions that you ask . If you are giving them a test some type of whether it's a test or project or something like that you want to make sure that is consistent across the board . And when you are looking to hire people , you want to be looking at technical skills as well as cultural fit . So one of the things that we talked about is making sure that they are able to vibe and gel with you and your team . So hiring solely for experience is not going to get you where you need to go . That's only part of it , right . So experience is important , do not get me wrong , but you have to have alignment with you and your team and your company's values . This is critical . Your company's values this is critical .
Speaker 1Make sure you clearly define your vision , your mission and your values and then use them to help guide your business decisions , your hiring decisions . This ensures you're bringing on someone who fits both the role and your culture of the organization . If integrity is high on your list , you want to make sure that you have conversations that allow you to evaluate their integrity . So think about what your vision is , what your mission is and what your core values are , even if you're hiring contractors . This is something that's extremely important .
Speaker 1When I am in the beginning stages of deciding if I'm going to work with someone , one of the things I ask them and I'm a consultant one of the things I ask them is about their vision , because I like to be able to see myself within it . Like here's their vision , because I like to be able to see myself within it . Like here's their vision how can I play a part , how can I play a role or what is my role ? So I'm already thinking about those things because I'm thinking about how do I make an impact in this person's business ? Same thing when you're hiring someone , it helps if they could see how they fit into it , and they may not like your vision , they may not want to even be a part of it . So , again , this helps you to kind of filter through the people that are best fit or suited for the role and for your organization . The other thing is , if you have other team members , involve other team members in the process , right . So this allows you to get input from other people . So you have another point of view . The other thing is is that it may help you to determine if they're a good fit for the team dynamics .
Speaker 1If you don't have a team and you are just starting out in this role or you're a solopreneur , is there a peer or someone that you could have sit in on the interviews ? That would be helpful as well . Again , especially if you are new to hiring and you haven't done this a lot , or if you find yourself in this cycle and you want to make sure that you're considering all things that you can consider , have somebody else sit in on the interviews . The next thing you want to do is use assessments . So I talked about earlier . If you have somebody doing a project , right , have all of them do the same project .
Speaker 1If I'm hiring somebody for customer experience or a customer service position and I know that they are going to be responding in writing , via emails or chat or whatever the case may be , I may give them a scenario and ask them to write a response and then that way I can see what their writing looks like . You know what I mean . I can see if they have the customer service level that I want them to have . It gives me insight into is this person a fit ? Further checking some of the boxes off the list . And then the last thing I find that some of us do because we are in a rush , is we don't check references thoroughly .
Speaker 1Don't skip this step right . So a candidate's past performance can tell you a lot about how they'll operate within your team . So don't skip it . Go through it , do it , and do it for all of your candidates . If they are referred , that's great . But do your own research , do your own due diligence right , and I find that when you follow these steps , you are weeding out people a whole lot easier and faster . And now we're getting to the people that are truly going to be a fit for our organization or our department .
Speaker 1Once you've done all that , you want to make sure that you invest in onboarding and development . So the next key to breaking the hire fire rehire cycle is proper onboarding . Too many times we think that onboarding is just filling out some paperwork , but a robust onboarding process should set your new hire up for success . So your onboarding process should cover not only the tasks and the responsibilities , but also how they fit into the larger company culture and vision . This is a great opportunity to share your vision with them again and share how you see them fitting within the organization's vision or your team's vision . See where they can literally see where they fit in and the impact that they have as a part of this overall vision .
Speaker 1The other thing I like to recommend is doing what I call 30 , 60 , 90 day plan right . To recommend is doing what I call 30 , 60 , 90 day plan right . So it's a 90 day plan , but you break it down into 30 , 60 and 90 day increments and what this does is is really a plan for success Over the course of the first 90 days . I'm laying out what I expect and what success looks like at the end of this period and each milestone they're in . By doing this and sharing it with the new hire , we are on the same page . I'm telling you at 30 days , here's what I expect . At 60 days , here's what I expect . And 90 days , here's what I expect , and we're reviewing it periodically . Now I'm having meetings with you , because you're a new hire Nine times out of 10 , I'm hiring meetings with you more often than 30 days , but we're always talking about where you are on this journey . Where you are , because it's extremely important that they be successful , and a part of them being successful is you being really clear on what success looks like and what you expect from them from day one .
Speaker 1So you want to make sure that you are laying these things out and you're having conversations about it . Also , if there's an opportunity , you want to really invest in your team's development . Of course you definitely want to have regular meetings with them , regular feedback , but training opportunities and training doesn't always look like going outside the organization . It could be within your organization . Is there an opportunity to train them on something that they've wanted to do ? Train them on something to make them better ? So think about that as well , but also career growth , right ? If you're in the beginning stages of building your team , at some point there may be an opportunity for them to take on a lead role or a manager role or you know something like that as they continue to grow with the department and with the organization . And as you continue to grow . Right , you want to have a succession plan , but that's a whole nother podcast . But you want to make sure that you are really investing in their development , right ? Having those conversations , what's their expectations ? You know where do they see themselves ? And if there are ways that you can help , then you help . I feel like if we invest in our team , they are more open to investing in us and what our vision is and what it is that we see . So make sure you are finding ways to pour into them and invest in their future , and this ultimately boosts retention and reduces turnover , right ? So now you know what those root causes are and some of the ways , some of the things that you can start to do right now to break the cycle .
Speaker 1The last thing that I want to talk about is the mindset shift for leaders , right ? So really thinking about when you are bringing someone on . This isn't this kind of one and done thing where I hire somebody and that's it . When you are hiring somebody , this is a long term investment and you want to think of it that way , right , and you want to think of this as a relationship . That's kind of give and take . It's not just you know . Of course , you're paying them for whatever it is that they are doing , but the other thing is are there other ways to pour into them ? Are there other ways to pour into them ? Are there other ways to build a relationship with them ? Right , and making sure that this isn't just completely transactional . If you really want people to stay around for any length of time , it has to go beyond a transaction and it has to go into a relationship . So think about how you can do that .
Speaker 1Not only that , you don't want to expect perfection from day one . You want to give everybody an opportunity to learn and grow , especially in the early stages , right , and a part of learning or a part of growing is them making mistakes . It's going to happen . No one is perfect . So think about as they grow . They're going to make mistakes , so you have to consider that as a part of it and you want to make sure that you do everything you can from making sure that you are providing coaching and feedback and you have processes in place and all of this stuff to minimize the number of mistakes right , but there's going to be some mistakes that are made .
Speaker 1So you want to keep that in mind and I know sometimes it's hard . You know when you're hiring you're thinking I really don't have time for this . But you have to make time to spend time with new hires right out the gate and make sure that you are giving them the support that they need , along with setting the expectations so that you're both are on the same page . All right , so that sometimes require a mindset shift from I don't have time to spend time , I don't have time to coach , but the flip side is you're going to find yourself continuously in this cycle . So remember , a high performing team is built over time , not overnight , and by investing in your people you build loyalty , trust and long-term success .
Speaker 1All right , so just in conclusion , let's think about this . Let's talk about some actionable steps to break the cycle . So we are going to break the hire fire , rehire cycle and the first thing we're going to do is you're going to define clear roles and expectations before hire . The second thing is is that you're going to refine your hiring process to focus on skills and cultural fit . It's nice that they have skills , it's nice that they have experience , but do they have the values ? Are they going to fit within the team ? The next thing is invest in a robust onboarding to set new hires up for success .
Building High-Performing Teams for Success
Speaker 1Think about what I said about the 30 , 60 , 90 day and carving out time to provide coaching and feedback . Then you want to develop your team continuously through feedback , trainings and growth opportunities , and then shift your leadership mindset to see employees as long-term investments and relationships . All right . So by following these steps , you can stop the endless cycle and start building stable , high-performing teams for your business to thrive . Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Operations Toolbox for Business Leaders . If you found this episode helpful , make sure to subscribe , share and leave a review . And remember success in leadership isn't just about hiring the right people , it's about leading them to success . Until next time .
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