"You don't have to have a big IQ"

In the past few weeks I have been looking at a good deal of resumes, performing some interviews and reviewing current employees. I have always enjoyed the hiring process as it has allowed me to meet new people and see what people are thinking about business and certain industries. The one unique thing about this hiring and review process is that it has been for a business that I am buying. Buying a business, or being a new executive at an existing company provides a rather unique conundrum, as the existing employees, even with a lot of communication, feel uneasy about their jobs. This has been in the biggest hurdle in buying the business from a management standpoint because it is difficult to thrive right off the bat in an environment filled with change and uncertainty (just ask Mark Hurd over at HP, who is doing a great job by the way).

Nonetheless, reading the Wall Street Journal today I came across a nice paragraph from a piece with Jack Welch, entitled Preacher Man.

Speaking of the Welch management system:

"We all chafed! But you gotta say the guy [Steve Jobs] is remarkable. I think he probably could have done well anywhere...Because I know how to hire great people. It's not very complicated. You don't have to have a big IQ. You don't have to know all these genius things. If you can get great people to stretch and reach their dreams, you will get incredible performance. But you gotta smell 'em, feel 'em. You gotta like people."