MSMP 54: Beth Miller on Making Better Hires

What Does MSMP 54: Beth Miller on Making Better Hires Talk About?

In this episode of Mads Singers Management Podcast, Mads Singers welcomes Beth Miller, founder of Executive Velocity, to discuss the critical importance of intentional hiring. Many companies fail to be deliberate in their hiring processes, often lacking calibrated questions tied to company culture, assessments, and proper interviewing skills. Beth emphasizes that a company story is foundational to effective hiring, as it helps define the profiles of people needed to support the organization's future. The conversation covers key elements such as calibrated questions, assessments like DISC and Business DNA, video screening, and the need to cultivate interviewing skills among those who hire. Both hosts highlight the significant financial losses that can result from poor hiring decisions and provide actionable strategies to mitigate these risks.

If you don't know where you came from, it's really hard to figure out where you are going, and the profiles of the people you need to help you along the way.Beth Miller

Who Is Featured on MSMP 54: Beth Miller on Making Better Hires?

Beth Miller is the founder of Executive Velocity, a talent management and leadership advisory firm. She works with business owners and their leadership teams to identify future leaders within organizations. With deep expertise in talent management, Beth focuses on helping companies become more intentional in their hiring processes to avoid costly mistakes. She shares practical insights on creating a company story, using assessments, and developing interviewing skills to attract and retain the best candidates.

What Are the Key Takeaways From MSMP 54: Beth Miller on Making Better Hires?

• Companies must adopt a hiring mindset that prioritizes intentionality over filling positions quickly.
• A well-defined company story is essential for understanding what kind of people you need to hire.
• Calibrated questions that reflect company culture are more effective than generic interview questions.
• Using assessments like DISC and Business DNA helps reveal candidates' inherent traits and potential for adaptation.
• Video screening is a powerful tool to quickly filter candidates and identify top talent early in the hiring process.

Beth identifies the beginning of this process in having a 'company story.'Beth Miller

Is MSMP 54: Beth Miller on Making Better Hires Worth Listening To?

This episode is a must-listen for any manager or business owner involved in hiring. Beth Miller provides concrete, actionable advice that can transform your hiring process from haphazard to highly effective. The discussion on calibrated questions, assessments, and video screening offers practical tools that can be implemented immediately to improve hiring outcomes. The emphasis on intentionality and the company story is particularly valuable for aligning hiring with long-term organizational goals.

Who Should Listen to MSMP 54: Beth Miller on Making Better Hires?

• Business owners
• HR professionals
• Team leaders and managers
• Startup founders

What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?

While hiring is one of the most important parts of running any business, the truth is that many companies are not intentional about hiring.  They don’t have calibrated questions that relate to company culture.  They don’t use an assessment.  They don’t have interviewing skills.  I’ve written about these topics before, but it’s always great to learn more from others who spend a lot of time thinking about these subjects.

That’s why it’s my great pleasure to welcome Beth Miller to this episode of Mads Singers Management Podcast. Beth runs Executive Velocity, which is a talent management and leadership advisory management firm.  Beth works with business owners and their leadership teams and helps identify future leaders in the organization. 

Both Beth and I know how much money can be lost by bringing on the wrong team members.  That’s why it’s so important to be intentional in the hiring process.  Beth identifies the beginning of this process in having a “company story.”  If you don’t know where you came from, it’s really hard to figure out where you are going, and the profiles of the people you need to help you along the way.

If companies have taken the time to write their story, they can then use that to put together a hiring process, another item that many companies don’t often possess.  Key elements of that process that Beth and I discussed:

• Calibrated questions - not just the generic ones (“tell me your strengths and weaknesses”) but the ones that are related to how you company thinks, acts, and executes
• Assessments - using tests like DISC and Business DNA which not only shows inherent characteristics but opportunities for helpful adaptations
• Video - it’s never been easier to find out rapidly how many candidates should be dumped from the process early on (or to get excited about those who might be great fits)
• Interviewing skills - don’t assume everyone “knows how to interview.”  Cultivate those skills in those who most frequently interview new team members

Key Learning Points:

1. Beth discusses the importance of a hiring mindset - 1:57

2. Mads shares the two most important skills of a manager - 3:41

3. Beth warns about the dangers of a manager hiring a “Mini Me” - 4:40

4. Beth notes that many businesses don’t know how to attract the best candidates - 8:10

5. Beth shares the importance of having a “company story”  - 9:45

6. Mads notes how game-changing adding a video requirement to a job application can be  - 12:55

7. Beth encourages the types of questions that are tied to your company’s culture - 16:10

8. Beth shares what “I” vs “we” language means when a candidate is recounting a failure - 19:17

9. Beth stresses the power of assessments - 25:15

10. Mads shares the usefulness of DISC - 28:49

11. Beth talks about planting palm trees and how that’s related to training employees - 40:14

Resources Mentioned:

1. How to be a Great Boss

Author: Gino Wickman

2.  DISC profile

3.  Business DNA

Connect with Beth Miller:

1. LinkedIn