Hiring When Desperate

How to Manage Emotion, Protect Standards, and Still Move Fast

I have been in a tight spot lately. My CEO’s executive assistant moved onto their next career and she did a lot behind the scenes. It was an amicable departure, but I am new to the company... just finished my second month. Before she left, we were already searching for a few new employees to cover existing gaps.

Then reality hit.

Calendars became harder to manage. Communication slowed down. Small tasks started stacking up. I found myself handling responsibilities that were previously invisible because someone else had quietly been doing them exceptionally well. At the same time, the pressure to hire quickly increased because every open position represented another operational gap.

That combination can create one of the most dangerous environments in leadership: hiring while emotionally overwhelmed.