Can they take orders — and can they think independently?

These two qualities might seem like opposites, but the truth is, the best employees master the delicate balance between following direction and thinking outside the box.

Why This Balance Matters

• People who take orders well often struggle with creativity and thinking beyond the task at hand.

• People who are highly creative and think independently may resist instructions and fail to follow management directives.

If you hire someone who can’t take orders, you risk them going rogue — potentially jeopardizing everything you’ve worked hard to build.

On the other hand, hiring someone who can’t think independently means you’ll need to micro-manage every task, limiting productivity and growth.

How to Find This Balance

The key is to identify candidates who excel at both — independent thinking and following direction. This can be challenging, but it’s achievable with the right interview questions and hiring process.

At Jarbly, our motto is simple: be reluctant to hire and reluctant to fire. We conduct thorough due diligence before welcoming anyone into our firm. But once someone joins the team, we give them the benefit of the doubt — creating an environment where employees feel secure and motivated to do their best work.

How Jarbly Venture Labs Can Help

When you work with us, we guide you through proven hiring strategies used by top brands. We provide:

• Targeted interview questions designed to uncover whether candidates can both follow instructions and think creatively.

• Insights on how to read between the lines during interviews and assess personality traits.

• Practical advice on building a team culture that values both structure and innovation.

Hiring the right person is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Let us help you get it right the first time — so your business can grow with confidence.

Ready to hire smarter?
Reach out to Jarbly Venture Labs and let’s talk about how you have a business that is set up to grow the right way. We help you launch with one of our existing ideas or we will build your idea from scratch.

Can they take orders AND can they think independently?

These two skills might seem like opposites, but finding someone who balances both is absolutely essential.

People who excel at taking orders often struggle with thinking outside the box. Conversely, those who are highly creative and independent thinkers can sometimes resist following directions.

Hiring someone who can do both well is critical.

If your new hire can’t take orders, they risk going rogue and putting everything you’ve built in jeopardy.

If they can’t think independently, you’ll end up micromanaging every move they make.

You must find this balance during the interview process.

My motto is simple: be reluctant to hire and reluctant to fire.

I perform thorough due diligence before bringing someone into my firm. But once they’re in, I give them the benefit of the doubt almost always.

I trust they want to do great work. It’s on me as a leader to ensure the right people join my team.

Once hired, employees should feel secure and supported — so they can focus on delivering excellent work and helping grow the company.

At Jarbly, we help you learn what the best brands do during hiring to pick the right people. When you retain us, we provide specific interview questions designed to reveal if a candidate is both a thinker and a good follower.

Schedule a call to build your idea, or partner with us on one of ours, or be a part of everything we are building.