Hill Figure Outer vs Hill Taker

A favorite interview question that I like to ask candidates is if they are better at figuring out which hill to take or actually taking the hill. Most of the time prospects tell me that they are good at both. When I get that response I will typically ask, "which one are you better at and why?" I am trying to get a sense of the candidates' self-awareness. Whether or not they know their strengths and weaknesses in addition to their strategic vs tactical abilities and preferences.

In my operational roles, I was more comfortable taking hills. As a sales leader, hitting quota and closing large deals was satisfying and easily measurable. You achieve your quota or you do not. When I became the CEO of oDesk, I needed to adjust my modus operandi from tactical to strategic. Shifting from fighting every battle, to make sure we were in the right war in the first place. Knowing that I was more adept at execution, I needed to surround myself with people who were exceptional at determining the right hills to take. Over time, I developed more skill here, however, I still excelled at conquering hills.

Many of the companies I look at today are executing well and are building and distributing products efficiently. In addition to exceptional execution, I try to identify if there is a strategic thinker at the table. I look for ruthless prioritization and the ability to focus on the 10% that yields 90% of the results. It is also necessary as an entrepreneur to think about Act II and Act III of your business. Specifically having an idea of where you are ultimately going and a plan of how you will get there.

It is important to recognize if you are better at figuring out hills or actually taking them and then build your team around you with people who are exceptional at the other. One of my former CEO's said it best, "90% of CEO's are under-focused and 10% are overfocused and neither are good." Which one are you?