The A Method
Explained Simply
A straightforward, step-by-step guide to hiring the right people. No jargon. No complexity. Just a proven system that works.
What is the A Method?
It's a hiring system with 4 simple steps. Follow them, and you'll hire great people consistently.
"The most important decisions that businesspeople make are not what decisions, but who decisions."
— Geoff Smart, Author of "Who"
Create a Scorecard
Before you start looking for candidates, you need to know exactly what success looks like. A Scorecard is different from a job description — it focuses on outcomes, not tasks.
A Scorecard has 3 parts:
One sentence that captures why this role exists
"Build and lead an engineering team that ships products on time and under budget"
3-5 specific results this person must achieve
"Grow revenue from $1M to $5M in 18 months"
The skills and behaviors needed to succeed
"Strong communication, data-driven decision making"
Pro tip: Ask yourself: "If this person does their job perfectly, what will be different in 12 months?"
Build and lead a sales team that consistently exceeds quarterly targets while maintaining high customer satisfaction.
Source Candidates Proactively
The best candidates — A-Players — aren't scrolling job boards. They're busy being successful at their current jobs. You need to go find them.
3 ways to find A-Players:
Ask everyone you know: "Who is the most talented person you know in [role]?"
A-Players know other A-Players
Work with recruiters who understand the A Method and focus on quality over quantity
Give them your Scorecard, not a job description
Identify top performers at other companies and reach out directly
LinkedIn, industry events, competitors
The magic question: "Who are the most talented people you have worked with who I should hire?"
Notice: Referrals have the highest quality. That's why they should be your primary focus.
Select with Structured Interviews
This is where most companies fail. They wing it. Instead, use these 4 specific interviews to consistently identify the right people.
Screening Interview
Quick filter to save time
Who Interview (Topgrading)
The most important interview
Focused Interview
Deep dive on specific outcomes
Reference Interview
Verify everything you've heard
The Power of the Who Interview
By walking through a candidate's entire career chronologically, you see patterns. You learn not just what they did, but why they made decisions and how they've grown. It's nearly impossible for candidates to fabricate a consistent story across their entire career.
Sell the Opportunity
A-Players have options. If you find someone great, you need to convince them to join you. Use the "Five Fs" framework to understand what matters to them.
The Five Fs Framework:
How the role matches their goals and your culture
How the job affects their personal life and family
The autonomy and decision-making power they'll have
Compensation, equity, and financial growth
The enjoyment they'll get from the work and team
Key insight: This candidate values Freedom most. Lead with autonomy and decision-making power in your pitch.
Remember: Selling starts from your first interaction and continues through day 90 of their employment. Never stop selling.
That's the A Method
Four simple steps. Scorecard, Source, Select, Sell. Master these, and you'll hire great people consistently. No more guessing. No more bad hires.
Ready to Put This Into Practice?
Liusha turns the A Method into easy-to-use software. Build scorecards, run structured interviews, and make confident hiring decisions.
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