It’s happened.

That thing so many of us talks about… What YOU would do if you were the boss.

Holy crap. I’m the boss.

Come the spring I will be the new Program Director at Q103.1 (as long as I don’t do anything too too horrible) This means I am in the process of hiring a new team.

I have said it and agreed with it a quizillion times. The concept that you should hire people smarter than you and be the best manager of their smarts as you can.

Lots of smart people agree with this idea!

As former Apple CEO Steve Jobs famously said “it doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”

“Hire people who are smarter than you! In doing so, you prevent limiting the organization to the level of your own ability—and you grow the capabilities of your company.” Kauffman reportedly stated before his death. “If you hire people you consider smarter than you, you are more likely to listen to their thoughts and ideas, and this is the best way to expand on your own capabilities and build the strength of your company.”

“Try never to be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people … or find a different room.” Michael Dell

“Greatness starts with the humility to hire people who are much smarter than you.”Guy Kawasaki

I will now let you in on a secret. This concept is easy to say, even somewhat easy to do in the hiring process, but day to day managing of that concept I can see being a challenge for someone who has finally stepped into a position they have wanted for years.

Cue maturity. <—- Whatttttttttttttt???

Turns out that I will be a better manager today than I would of been 15 years ago when I first wanted a program directors job, not only because of how much I have learned about radio in the last 15 years, but more so because of how much I have learned about myself and personalities like mine.  15 years ago I liked to talk about managers hiring people “smarter” than they were but I never once thought about what it would mean to hire and manage a team that is smarter than you.. what does that actually look like?

I am about to find out, because that is exactly what I am doing. It is thrilling and terrifying all at the same time.

Stick with me, it’s going to be a fun and sometimes bumpy ride.