Nick Jones is the founder and CEO of Soho House, a global private members' club. He discusses how his leadership style has evolved while managing 24/7 global operations.
Insight
Nick Jones: Job interviews are performative play-acting that reveal nothing
“Interviews are really difficult. You know, it's just a Play act, isn't it? And actually you never really find out until someone joins you.”
Insight
Nick Jones: Tell candidates every reason they shouldn't join your company
“So I think what you have to be when you're hiring people is very, very clear. You know, you just go through, right, here are all the reasons why you might not want to join us, and listen. And, you know, and then if you're honest like that, they can go, okay, w…”
Insight
Nick Jones: Society Should Stop Praising Overwork and Value Life Balance
“People often sort of sort of, Praise people who work incredibly hard, but actually what we should be doing is saying, well, surely you should be getting a bit more balance in your life, because that's a lot more healthy”
Insight
Jones: Instagram hype cannot replace quality and consistency in hospitality
“Instagram might blow something up quicker, but actually the customer, if it's not good, and it's not consistent, they won't come back, and they will tell people they're not going to come back, and they will, the best way to have a successful restaurant, cafe, …”
Insight
Jones: External hires require clear, honest feedback for bypassed internal candidates
“Well, I think if you do that, I think it's because you really don't think, you, you'd much rather, I much rather would promote within. So if you end up having to go to the outside to bring in rather than promote within, it means that the person isn't right. Bu…”
Insight
Nick Jones: Failed hires are usually the employer's fault, not the employee's
“And it, it's actually more likely to be our mistake because, you know, people come into the business and they go, God, this is not quite what I was expecting, or it's a bit harder work than I was expecting, or this or that.”