Do you find yourself saying ‘we’re like family’? What’s the problem with that? Well, being ‘one big happy family’ is not the way to run a business that is durable, that provides a satisfying environment for people to work in and that is financially stable and sound. Too many business owners recruit people on the basis that they like them, or even worse, that they are like them!

A really great business, and a really great team, develop a life of their own, beyond your traits, skills and vision alone – and professional people develop and negotiate ways of working that go beyond ‘getting on well’ together (though that can be a bonus). Don’t have your attention on ‘will we get on well together?’ but on ‘is this person and their skills right for my business?’