What can we do to get out of your way?

I’ve shared a bit about Danny Meyer (founder of Shake Shack, among other restaurants) before, as he has some amazing insights on leadership. In a recent podcast with Adam Grant, he shared a few more gems.

One in particular was a quote about hiring. Danny believes in hiring great people and then allowing them to be great. Specifically, he says:

“If you hire great people, get out of their way and let them succeed. Yes, give them the tools, but don’t do stupid things that make it harder to succeed.”

It’s easier said than done, but it can be fantastic. It’s very similar to the idea of never managing people who don’t need to be managed. If you hire someone amazing, then managing their every move seems like an awful idea. They should follow the core processes and procedures that you’ve set in place, but beyond that they should have the freedom to just get things done.

If you’re hiring someone for minimum wage at your fast food restaurant, then dictating their every move might be a good plan. However, if you’re paying a generous salary to an amazing employee, anything other than letting them be amazing is just going to hold everyone back.

Originally published at https://www.mickmel.com on August 19, 2024.