Brian P. Hogan's Insightful Tweet on Hiring: A Great Attitude to Have!

Mia Nightshade

Updated Tuesday, July 2, 2024 at 12:00 AM CDT

In the world of hiring, the balance between technical skills and interpersonal traits has always been a critical consideration. A recent tweet by Brian P. Hogan, known by his Twitter handle @bphogan, has sparked significant discussion on this very topic.

The tweet features Hogan's profile picture, showing him subtly smiling in a dark jacket. His words have captured the attention of many, emphasizing the importance of hiring individuals who not only bring technical prowess to the table but also possess a commendable attitude.

Hogan states, "I've hired a few people in my time. I've never been disappointed by hiring someone who is less technical but is a great human who cares for others. I can teach tech pretty easily. But boy have I seen people with toxic attitudes destroy a team."

This message resonates deeply with many professionals who have witnessed the detrimental effects of toxic behavior in the workplace. A flood of comments from various users provides a spectrum of experiences and opinions:

- One user shared a personal story of becoming a toxic employee due to unfair treatment during a recession, leading to their eventual termination and a period of unemployment.

- Another recounted working with a colleague who was notorious for ingratiating himself with the boss while harassing others, ultimately leading to a toxic environment.

- A different user highlighted the importance of hiring the right attitude and providing necessary training, noting that technical skills can be taught, but a toxic character is hard to change.

Further comments reveal various experiences with toxic coworkers and managers, underscoring the pervasive nature of this issue. One notable story was from a workforce analytics professional who observed a high-performing sales rep whose negative attitude dragged down the entire team's morale and performance. It wasn't until the rep's vacation that the team's true potential was realized, leading to the decision to let him go.

Hogan's tweet serves as a reminder of the importance of fostering a positive work environment. Hiring managers are encouraged to look beyond technical skills and consider the holistic impact an individual will have on their team. After all, a great attitude can often be the catalyst for a cohesive, high-performing team.

In an era where workplace culture is increasingly recognized as a key driver of success, Brian P. Hogan's insights offer valuable guidance. Prioritizing empathy, kindness, and a willingness to learn can pave the way for a more harmonious and productive workplace.

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View source: Imgur

Top Comments from Imgur

Skuggen

You can benefit greatly from hiring someone who's technically brilliant but socially inept, though, but you can't then expect them to just be a standard coworker, either.

LeftRightThere

I became a toxic employee once during the recession. The company wanted to cut staff but had no reason to get rid of me, so management had one of the guys sabotage my equipment, spill chemicals in my work area, and acted like the things happening were my fault or in my head. So, I became very toxic knowing I was going to leave. I got fired and took unemployment for a few months.

lackinglife

I worked somewhere that had a guy that literally any mention of "that j******" or the like had to be clarified when it wasn't him being the subject matter. He did two things, s*** up to the boss and going out of his way to harass people. Good riddance

ssss11

Precisely. Hire the right attitude and train them.

RowanUnderwood

Meanwhile I am holding up this d******s team single-handedly while the rest of them do-nothing but schedule conference calls to pat each other on the back about how socially intelligent they are . . .

sadurdaynight

We had a high-performing sales rep at a job. I was doing workforce analytics, and he always out-performed the others. I noticed he was always s***-talking them, and their attitudes were always in the dumps. Figured that had something to do with it, but, since it's intangible I couldn't showcase for sure. Then he went on vacation for 1 wk. Everyone elses sales picked up to the point it out-weighed his performance. So, we fired him when he came back. A dude pulling +20% sales while making every 1/

technofiend

Yeah. I prefer to be chill, although it'll cost you. I've literally had a boss say to me: you can't be a nice guy and get promoted.

novilicious

I have experienced the opposite. I have hired really nice people who are absolute morons at work and cannot seem to get the job done. That being said, I would rather hire them all day long over toxic people.

herejusttopointouterrors

yes and no. we've all "worked" with nice but incompetent. though we'd probably all this this over the knowledgeable with zero people skills

landbaronness42

No, there are people who actually can’t be taught tech skills, I’ve worked with them. They might even have STEM degrees. All they do is talk but can’t fix the problems. That said, don’t promote jerks to management or you will lose your technical folks. They can easily find other positions.

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