Culture First, Always: Hiring & Leadership Lessons with Mike Chaudron

We’ve all heard about “the power of positivity,” but few of us have lived it out.

Mike Chaudron, VP of Sales and Customer Success at Green Seal, does.

He describes his career like a yo-yo going up a staircase. Plenty of ups and downs, but always moving forward. His perspective on positivity, purpose, and team culture is one we can all learn from.

What are some key takeaways from your career?

(1) Do what you love.

If you’re able to do that, you're really, really blessed. Seek out things that you love to do and have a passion for. It makes work that much easier.

(2) Bring positive energy to what you do.

I don’t mean Pollyanna, pie-in-the-sky stuff. But bringing real positive energy makes your job better, the people around you better, and helps you get through the difficult times. Because they will come.

How do you evaluate whether someone will be a good fit for your team?

Start with cultural fit.

You can find people with the right skills, but if they’re not a cultural fit, you’re trying to jam a square peg into a round hole. First and foremost, I’m looking for a good cultural fit.

Also, look for team-minded people. If someone is focused only on their own success, that’s fine, but when they’re genuinely committed to the team’s success, that’s when you really have something special.

What is one mistake you see in leadership?

The biggest mistake that leaders make is not correcting toxic behavior and tolerating a toxic person on the team. That tells the rest of the team that you can be an A-class jerk if you’re a high performer. Ultimately, that will undermine your entire team.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in hiring or leading a team, and how did you overcome it?

Oftentimes in hiring, you're pushed to make quick hires, especially in sales. But it's not that simple. John Wooden, coach at UCLA, once said, “Hurry, but don't rush.” That's what you have to do. The challenge that you’ll face is that you have to stand your ground to make the right choice instead of the quick choice. Take your time and hire the right person.

If you could give one piece of advice to job seekers, what would it be?

Just go for it and do something to stand out even in the application process. Ultimately, I hired someone who had written a cover letter, but who also had a referral from someone I had worked with before. So,

(1) Go for it. Do something to stand out.

(2) Network, network, network. Some of the best jobs of my career were jobs that weren't even posted, and I landed there because of people I knew.

Do something to stand out and use your network.

What’s one thing job seekers should know about interviewing with your company?

Come in prepared. Interview the company just as much as the company interviews you. Do your homework, do the preparation, understand as much as you can about the company, and then ask good questions.

Also, if the company/interview doesn't pass the smell test and something seems off, RUN. They’re giving you their best foot forward. So, if it doesn't smell right or feel right at that point, run. It's not worth it.

Do your homework, be prepared, but also interview them just as hard as they interview you, and understand if it's the right cultural fit.

What are the skills that you predict will be essential for success in the workforce moving forward?

Be a good communicator, exude positive energy, and be a good team member. Care about your coworkers, care about your team. That is a huge differentiator. And no matter what happens with technology, I think those are skills that are always going to be in demand.

Thank you for sharing with us, Mike!

If you’re interested in connecting with and learning more about Mike or Green Seal, check out Mike’s LinkedIn here or Green Seal’s website here.