Came across this quote from Microsoft’s former chief scientist, Nathan Myhrvold: “The top software developers are more productive than average software developers not by a factor of 10X or 100X or even 1000X, but by 10,000X.”
For what it’s worth I think the same is true with waiters and trainers and parking lot attendants. So … keep that “slot” open a little longer, and find the “10,000X woman or man.” Addenda: Finding the “scouts” who can unearth “10,000X people” is obviously Step One. My observation: Some people are gifted Talent-finders, and some aren’t. One sterling CEO I know is awful at finding talent. “For one big thing, he talks too much during interviews,” a colleague reported to me with a chuckle. “An ‘interview’ with him is an excuse for a monologue.” The good news: My CEO pal knows his weakness—and has a great stable of talent-finders at his beck and call!