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| 12 Building the Dream Team An organization's success rests on the shoulders of its teams. But what does it take to build, nurture, and retain high- performing teams that drive innovation and propel companies to the top of their game? Building a dream team starts with the interview process. To create a foundation for success, you must hire and cultivate people with a growth mindset, seek out critical thinkers, and prioritize passion and positive attitudes. But building the team is just the beginning. Leaders must nurture high performers, emphasize personal relationships, share wins, and foster a culture of trust and empowerment. To retain top talent, you must keep your best and brightest engaged, motivated, and committed to the team's success. Build a High-Performing Team Ask about the impact new hires made in their previous role Tori Foust, director of project management at Samtec, reveals her secret to building high- performing teams: "When hiring, I ask candidates about the legacy they left at their previous company. I want to know if they implemented changes that are still in use, made a difference in operations, or implemented something that improved the business." Foust emphasizes that the impact doesn't have to be huge: "Even something as small as creating a form to streamline meeting setups can demonstrate a focus on continuous improvement, which is a key quality I look for in new hires." Look for someone with a growth mindset Esugasini Subramaniam, director of supply chain and engineering at Micron Technology, shares her advice on finding the right talent. Looking only for a specific skill set may set you back. Instead, she suggests finding someone with a growth mindset looking to build on their fundamental skills: "Look for candidates that show a willingness to listen to ideas, to come out of their comfort zone, and to make mistakes." The suitable new hires for your high-performance team won't be defensive, have a big ego, or believe they are inherently flawed if they make a mistake. "Most importantly, I want someone with a growth mindset and the guts to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes," says Subramaniam. Find someone with a passion for the job and a positive attitude Jacqueline Olson, head of Americas Automotive Sales at Wolfspeed, prioritizes attitude and passion over skills when hiring. "I focus on a candidate's disposition to learning rather than their current skill set," Olson explains. "Do they have a positive, constructive attitude? Are they self-aware and willing to learn?" To assess these qualities in a short interview, Olson relies on a revealing question: "How do you describe yourself, and how do others describe you?" This insight helps her identify candidates with the right mindset for growth and success. Seek out new hires who can think critically Mitra Tayareh, director of application design engineering at MACOM, seeks critical thinkers and problem solvers when hiring. "I want to know how a candidate handles work pressure and if they can deliver under intense conditions," Tayareh explains. "I evaluate their communication skills. Can we communicate easily? Do they respond promptly and concisely to questions?" By observing how candidates react to problem-solving questions and the conciseness of their answers during the interview process, Tayareh determines if they're the right fit for her team.

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