When roles blur and expectations shift, a reminder: you're not a celebrity hire—just do your job.
You Are Not a Personality Hire—Just Do Your Job
What it means to be hired for substance, not spotlight
In leadership, sometimes someone joins thinking they’re getting VIP treatment—maybe they expect extra perks or attention. But titles don’t guarantee runway. If you’re hired to lead operations, finance, or HR, you’re being brought in for results, not followers.
I had a CFO once who insisted on personal branding over budget discipline. It slowed us down. The company didn’t need a celebrity executive. It needed someone who understood margins, cash flow, and accountability.
Why this mindset matters now
We live in an era where LinkedIn profiles can outshine board performance. A flashy photo or inspiring quote isn’t enough—especially in finance or ops. Your job is the pipes, not the PR campaign.
A good team delivers basics exceptionally well: financial controls, staffing plans, market analysis. That beats flashy metrics with no follow-through.
Stories from the field
A story from HR leadership
We once hired a VP of Talent with a massive presence online. She curated every keynote like a show. But she didn’t build retention programs, and turnover rose. We replaced her with someone less visible—but more effective. Retention turned around fast.
Marketing vs. operations
A marketing head told me they wanted “branding” before looking at cost efficiency. They spent on ads, not platforms. We looked at operations—they prioritized controls, data flow, and lean cost centers. Guess who created the sustainable margin? It wasn’t the branding guru.
The traits of executives you actually need
- Reliability: consistent execution across weeks and months.
- Substance: understanding what actually moves the business forward.
- Accountability: taking responsibility if performance dips.
How to avoid the "personality hire" trap
- During hiring, ask: what measurable impact will you make?
- Don’t reward signaling over substance—values outcomes, not optics.
- Keep roles clear: define responsibilities and lines of authority.
The bottom line
If you’re brought in for operations, finance, or growth—do your job. Lead the work. Measure results. Build something lasting. If you’re looking for applause, you’re probably in the wrong seat.
Book recommendation
“Good to Great” by Jim Collins. It’s not about charisma. It’s about disciplined work over time—and how modest leaders can deliver massive results.
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