Do Your People FSO?

You know the best piece of advice I can give you? Hire people around you who can FSO. It’s THE critical leadership competency. Yet, no one ever talks about it.

What’s FSO, you ask?

Hire leaders who figure $h!t Out (FSO)!

Then give them the roadmap. Give them the rules of the game. Plan the future state with them. Then let them run.

You’re an FSOer

If you think back about why you wanted to become a leader, it’s because some Chucklehead Joker in your past held you back. And, you thought, “I can flipping do this better.” So, don’t be the same Chucklehead Joker to your people. 

FSOers think critically and creatively, protect resources and galvanize teams. 

All the things you do. And, the way you want your leaders to act.

Don’t Get in Their Way

If you want to stunt their growth, then meddle and make them check in with you on every decision. Someone who FSOs won’t stay around very long in the environment you’re creating. You didn’t. You created your own future. And, that’s what FSOers do.

Finding the FSOers

I know. I know. You’re thinking, “How do I find these Unicorns?”

Here’s what I’ve found. Ask either of these two questions:

• Tell me about the most difficult situation you’ve ever found yourself in personally or professionally and how you made it to the other side. 
• Tell me about a time when your back was up against the wall and you figured out a way to succeed. How did you do it?

You’re looking to find people willing to get vulnerable and have overcome real challenges. It’s particularly effective if you go first and share a story where you overcame something Herculean. Model the behavior.

If the person you’re considering doesn’t have a bunch of these stories, do not hire them. You’re going to be handholding and babysitting instead of charting a compelling and meaningful path forward.

And then, take a hot, controversial topic and ask without judgment:

• “What do you think about (insert hot topic here)?” Or
• “What’s a societal issue you’re passionate about? [Pause + Follow on question] What do you think about it?”

Now, it doesn’t really matter their response. Don’t even ask about it. Simply ask, “How did you come to that conclusion? Why do you think that way?” 

You are looking for people who can gather insights and solve problems from a solid thought process. You know, the intellectually curious ones who can think for themselves. Those FSOers take action and solve problems.

Scratch and Dent Aisle

During the hiring process, once you have the technical ability box checked and the values alignment properly aligned, you’re looking for the FSOers.

I call it hiring from the scratch and dent aisle. The people who have had half their teeth bashed in and lived to tell about it. Guaranteed FSOer.

Leading and business is hard and confusing. It’s Multivariate Theoretical Calculus. It’s not addition and subtraction. You need FSOers who can go to the chalkboard with you and solve hard problems Matt Damon style.

Go Deep

Take a minute and a deep breath. 

If your people aren’t FSO-ing, I want you to get real, ruthless and introspective. Ask yourself two questions:

• Are my people not FSO’ing because I hired the wrong people into my mission?
• Am I meddling and creating a toxic environment where it’s difficult to FSO and succeed?

If you’re getting in your own way, stop it.

And, if you have people on your team who can’t or won’t FSO, make a change. Your future, more successful, and less stressed out self will thank you.