Only Hire People Who Challenge You

Building a team is the most critical part of running a company (or any organization). There's a reason why the Yankees and the Patriots have so many rings: they have great teams from top to bottom. Do you think those organizations are easy to manage? Absolutely not. You should recruit team members who fit your culture, believe in your mission, and are fun to work with. But do not hire people because they make your life easy. Leadership is not about how many "followers" follow you, it's about how many leaders join you. Leaders are ambitious, opinionated, and won't let you off easy. They take a lot of energy to coordinate and aim in a single direction. They're also exactly who you need if you aspire to greatness. Building something valuable and sustainable isn't supposed to be easy. So don't take shortcuts, especially with your team.