Power Play: Recruit out-of-the-closet nerds

Power Players are closet nerds. Anyone with real Power usually is. This is why Power Players recruit other nerds.

Why? Because they’re smart (and usually funny – or at least dry)… Nerds are high achievers. They are also unable to walk away from a job until it’s done, perfectly.

Power Players are also careful to recruit out-of-the-closet nerds. These are the ones who don’t try to be cool for fear of exclusion from the cool kids table. They wear their Star Trek T-shirts openly and they have a full set of West Wing DVDs and the lone series of Studio 60.

When you find yourself in a position to hire talent, go for the out-of-the-closet nerd. I promise you, they’ll save your sanity and your reputation and they’ll do everything they can to fix whatever problem comes their way.

One nerd is worth five regular people. Trust me. Power Players know this and they keep a nerd file in their desk in case a position comes up. You should do the same.