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Key Takeaways

Hire for the long haul. Don’t oversell or make promises you can’t keep, but do paint a picture of the possibilities.

Don’t wait until someone has checked every box before entrusting them with more responsibility. Your potential leaders will leave to find opportunities elsewhere.

Hire candidates with a growth mindset, equip them with the right tools and give them the space they need to flourish.

Several years ago, we had an opening for a senior position on our product team. By that point, my company, Jotform, had been in business for a few years, so I was accustomed to the hiring process. It was, however, my first time replacing a high-level employee who had moved on.

The departing employee had done great work, but now, I had a decision to make: On the one hand, I could hire an outsider with direct experience and ample credentials.…