I like them
I really, really like them!
If I may toot my own horn for a sec…
I’m a pretty natural athlete.
Most sports I tried, I picked up pretty easily.
That included weightlifting, gymnastics, tennis, softball.
Did I LOVE them all? In some ways, I really did!
But thinking about this as a gym analogy (you are reading The Fitness of Business, after all), in any given week, at my gym, I’d have 7 days of CrossFit programming, 3 days of Strength programming, 2 days of yoga, 2 days of Endurance programming.
There is a huge difference between being good at every workout and choosing the workouts each week that are good for YOU.
Onto the business analogy.
Last week I told you about the 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Founder — starting with “be a pessimist, and an optimist.” Pessimist your paperwork. Optimist your energy.
Today, I’m sharing my next major takeaway: Learn how to hire, lead and fire.
Because the same rule from the gym applies here: being good at something doesn’t mean you’re automatically good at choosing it wisely. Having leadership qualities doesn’t make you a good leader any more than being a natural athlete makes you a good coach. Before opening my gym, I’d never had an employee, and suddenly I had 10, plus 3 independent contractors.
Here’s the thing: I get along with pretty much everyone. Anyone who came in for an interview felt like a fit to me, because we “clicked,” they were available, energetic, and ready to join the team.
Unfortunately, I get along with everyone. That doesn’t mean everyone who applies is the right fit.
I learned some really interesting things about myself since then, namely that I’m a high achiever and an empath — and I’m using that self-awareness to inform why I hired the way I did and what I’d do differently.
My Hiring Process: A Snapshot From the Past
🚨 Oh sh*t. So and so just quit.
That was step one. Every time.
From there, panic mode:
Reach out to current coaches and ask to fill in extra classes
Post the job on Indeed
Schedule interviews with ALL applicants
Carry on friendly and casual conversation
Offer the job to the one who is most eager and available (aka says the right things and seems to like me, too — yay!)
I really did connect with EVERYONE! Phew.
Crisis averted... or so I thought.
Two Weeks Later…
Reality set in.
I’d feel confused and blindsided when this person stopped showing up on time, or when their energy and interest just weren’t there anymore. I’d rack my brain trying to figure out what I did wrong, and why everyone didn’t want to be here all the time the way I did.
And then — I’ll admit it — I’d grow resentful.🤬
Which brought me right back to: “Oh sh*t. So and so just quit.”
Same cycle. Different name.
Lessons Learned
Here’s what I’ve come to understand about myself: I’m a high achiever, and I’m an empath. Both are real strengths. Both were also running my hiring process.
High achiever:
Being a high achiever means I hold myself to a pretty relentless standard — and without realizing it, I expect everyone around me to hold that same standard. When they don’t, I get frustrated, and they might experience me as demanding. The truth is, not everyone has the same expectations for themselves, or is driven to work as hard as I am. That’s not a character flaw in them. It’s just not how they’re wired.
What I’d change:
Set realistic expectations
Take my own advice: “No one will ever be as invested in your business as you are.”
Repeat.
Empath:
Being an empath means I feel things — other people’s things — deeply and quickly. In an interview, that shows up as instant connection. I want the person across from me to feel the same warmth I feel toward them, so I read “we clicked” as “this is the right hire.” It also means I’m constantly absorbing other people’s energy, which is exhausting if I don’t manage it. Left unchecked, that’s a fast track to burnout.
What I’d change:
Be discerning and clear
Not everyone is a good fit — just because we connect
Stay true to your values
SET BOUNDARIES
Coach’s Cues
If you’re hiring for the first time (or the tenth), here’s what I’d tell you before you post that job listing:
Clicking isn’t a qualification. Liking someone in an interview tells you they’re likeable — not that they’re right for the role.
Know your own strengths before you hire for someone else’s. Whether you’re a high achiever, an empath, or both, name the tendency so you can see where it’s shaping your decisions.
Set the expectation before you set the schedule. Be clear about what “invested” looks like on your team, so no one is guessing.
Boundaries protect the connection. You can care about your people and still hold a clear line. One doesn’t cancel out the other.
Now I want to hear yours.
What’s your “oh sh*t, they just quit” story? The hire that felt perfect in the interview and fell apart two weeks later? I read every reply!
And if you’re in a hiring crunch right now and want a second set of eyes before you make the call, grab 30 minutes with me.
Not every workout is right for you, and not every candidate is either. Choose wisely, friends.