Standout employees are hard to find, so stop looking for the right people in the wrong places. Instead, search out the Doers. They are the vital few who deliver amazing results.

Doers are the personification of the 80/20 Rule that says 80% of a company’s production is accomplished by 20% of its employees. Doers excel in positions from the boardroom to the break room. The initiative for new ideas and the energy that drives high performance radiates from Doers.

They are the internal lynchpins of every successful enterprise. Doers expand their sphere of influence by creating cross-functional communication networks that are reliable sources of accurate information.

Result oriented, they work diligently without attracting attention. Hiring Doers and empowering those already on board ensures dramatic improvements for those organizations that are savvy enough to do so.

These highly desirable employees are scarce. As you sort through the resume pile keep an eye out for applicants who:

• Reach across departmental boundaries to build coalitions.
• Motivate those around them by their determination to succeed.
• Operate intuitively with little direction and limited supervision.
• Accept difficult assignments that others cannot or will not do.
• Seek opportunities to grow personally and develop professionally. 

Hiring Doers sounds positive, but there is a downside. Each of these tendencies has the potential to be problematic:

• Doers confront authority, question ambiguity, and expose inconsistency.
  They challenge directives whenever they believe their way is better. Such behavior seems disrespectful until you consider the benefit of receiving honest feedback from those fully invested in the outcome.
• Doers risk losing personal influence and peer approval when promoted.
  Subject to the Peter Principle they risk incompetence when promoted. Creating recognition and reward systems for Doers based upon proficiency rather than position can minimize the negative effects of advancement.
• Doers seek opportunities elsewhere when dissatisfied with the status quo.
  The most critical factor in keeping doers from jumping ship. Doers network to stay current on job openings. Lacking the potential for personal growth and professional development, Doers seek such opportunities elsewhere.

 Prepare yourself it is not going to be easy. It is a job seeker’s market, and the best candidates will check out your reputation before they agree to an interview.

Doers want assurance that honesty counts and they can speak truth to power. They trust a mistake can be corrected without fear it will be held against them. The only thing they want measured is success.

The challenge is not only to find them, but also to establish a reputation as a place where Doers are eager to come and have reason to stay. A Wall Street Journal poll showed businesses with stable, highly committed employees enjoyed higher profits than those without them.

You must locate and penetrate the Doer’s network. Create an atmosphere where they can make complaints, respond to criticism, and convey negative information upward without retribution. Then provide them unfettered opportunities to deliver amazing things. Once on board, you will find Doers a challenge to manage so will your organization. But, they are worth it.