Who: 8 key ideas
The core ideas of Who, each in under a minute, written in our own words. Want the full depth? Get the book.
- IDEA 1 OF 8
Right hiring solves most problems
Smart and Street argue that hiring mistakes are among the costliest problems in business.
They offer the A Method, a step-by-step approach to finding and hiring the right people. This matters because every wrong hire costs time and money.
- IDEA 2 OF 8
Avoid voodoo hiring
The authors describe voodoo hiring, relying on gut feelings or tricky questions.
These methods often fail. A confident chat or a clever puzzle tells you little about how someone will really work.
- IDEA 3 OF 8
Create a scorecard
The first step is a scorecard describing the mission, outcomes and competencies for the role.
It clarifies what success looks like. Without it, people hire for a general feeling instead of for the actual job.
- IDEA 4 OF 8
Source candidates widely
The second step is sourcing, finding candidates through referrals and networks.
A steady flow of talent helps. Waiting for people to apply is not enough, since the best candidates are often already working elsewhere.
- IDEA 5 OF 8
Select through structured interviews
The third step is selection, using structured interviews to understand a candidate's career history.
Patterns reveal ability. Looking at what a person actually did in past roles tells you more than how well they speak.
- IDEA 6 OF 8
Ask about each job
The authors describe an interview that walks through each past job, asking about successes and failures.
This reveals performance. Hearing how someone describes their wins and their mistakes shows what they are really like to work with.
- IDEA 7 OF 8
Sell the opportunity
The fourth step is selling, persuading top candidates to join.
The best people have choices. Even a strong candidate may have other offers, so you must explain honestly why the role is exciting for them.
- IDEA 8 OF 8
Good hiring builds companies
The authors argue that consistently hiring well creates strong organisations.
People determine success. A company that picks the right people again and again slowly becomes stronger, because each good hire helps others do better work. Poor hiring does the opposite and drains the whole team.
Get one idea like this every daySwipe through ideas, go deeper on any of them, and save the ones that matter. Free.
Read Who in the app