Control Freaks, Minority Partners, and Team Members

I help leaders decide who to add to their teams. We begin by creating an ideal profile of success for the role, and then we match against the profile as we assess candidates.

One of the predictors we consider is risk tolerance—yes, just like in financial investment strategy. Overall, we look at three different levels of risk tolerance:

CONTROL FREAKS: If you look in the dictionary under “control freak” you’ll see a picture of me. 😊 I know what I want and have a pretty good idea how to get it. The last thing I want is a boss telling me what I can have or how to do things. This is the profile of a true entrepreneur and final decision maker who has a high risk tolerance, i.e. they are willing to take greater risks for greater rewards.

MINORITY PARTNERS: These folks have a moderate risk tolerance—not as high as a pure entrepreneur, but higher than a team member They are taking on the risk of business ownership with the aim of reaping greater financial rewards than a regular team member. They usually have more control than a team member because they have the majority owner’s ear, but essentially they still have a boss who makes the final decisions that affect their future rewards.

TEAM MEMBERS: These folks have a lower risk tolerance, and they prefer more structure and predictability in their careers. They’re happy to have a boss who’s the final decision maker. They can be extremely valuable contributors to the success of the business, but like a minority partner, they dislike the stress of being the final decision maker for the entire enterprise.

The point here is that it’s important to consider this predictor when adding a new member to your team. If you add a pure “team member” and expect them to behave as an entrepreneur, you’ll be disappointed. On the other hand, if you add a pure “control freak/entrepreneur,” then you can start counting the days until they leave to start their own business. What’s your risk tolerance, and where will you be happiest?

Resolve conflicts. Double revenue. Be happy. (770) 993-1129. tdockery@TheResolveFirm.com