Why Do 82% of Hiring Decisions Go Wrong—And How Can You Beat the Odds? David Russell – Episode 103

Talk to Th3 Doc with Steve Meek

David Russell | Strategic Account Manager, Blackpoint Cyber | Episode 103 Talk To Th3 Doc Podcast

Hiring expert and leadership coach David Russell of Blackpoint Cyber joins us to break down what’s sabotaging your talent strategy—and what to do about it.

“A great hire doesn’t happen by accident—it happens by process.” – David Russell

Are you hiring based on gut instincts? If so, it might be costing you $9,800 a day. In this episode, we uncover how to build a repeatable, fact-based hiring system that fits your culture, drives performance, and protects your team from costly misfires.

🎯 SMB owners and team leaders will learn:

• Why most hiring decisions fail

• How to align hiring with your values

• What structured interviews and “scrimmages” reveal

• How hiring is directly tied to your IT strategy and business outcomes

David Russell, Strategic Account Manager at Blackpoint Cyber, is also the creator of the Hire The Best system, a practical framework that helps SMBs stop wasting money on the wrong hires. He’s authored five books, produced over 100 soft skills lessons, and hosted 300+ podcast episodes. David coaches high-growth leaders and tech teams on culture, accountability, and performance—without the fluff.

🔗 Connect with David on LinkedIn

• $9,800/day: The average cost of a bad hire, according to HBR

• 82%: Of hiring decisions are ineffective, says Gallup

• 1–3 months: The time needed to establish a scalable hiring process

• 4 disciplines: David’s core leadership model: Hire, Manage, Develop, Retain

These metrics show the true cost of hiring mistakes—and why every SMB needs to treat talent strategy like tech strategy: measurable, repeatable, and leadership-driven.

This episode gets to the heart of what’s draining SMBs: people decisions made without a plan. We explore the hiring mistakes that sabotage growth and the practical steps leaders can take to build teams that thrive long-term.

• [01:45] – Why gut instinct fails 4 out of 5 times

• [05:32] – Understanding the “Champion Why” behind your hire

• [09:15] – From job descriptions to strategic roles

• [14:22] – How hiring parallels STARPower IT alignment

• [19:44] – Structured interviews & real-world scrimmages

• [24:55] – Weekly check-ins vs. annual reviews

• [30:10] – The 4-part framework: Hire, Manage, Develop, Retain

• [36:05] – Building hiring systems that reflect company culture

• [41:20] – Final prescriptions for SMB leadership

• Learn more about David’s system at HireTheBest.com

• Explore the STARPower Framework: The Fulcrum Group’s Innovation Model

Interested in building a hiring system that works?
David Russell invites listeners to connect via LinkedIn or reach out through his website for free hiring resources, strategic planning sessions, and leadership workshops.
🔗 Connect with David

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DISC Profile – A behavioral assessment tool used to evaluate communication styles and team fit
STARPower Framework – Fulcrum’s managed IT model focused on strategy, transparency, alignment, and results

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