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going around and knowing what people were thinking about.%u201dBringing in Ballmer changed Microsoft overnight. Why? He introduced a wealth of new business ideas and skills at a strong, though somewhat geeky, engineering-focused company. Ballmer wasn%u2019t just an additive hire that raised the level of internal Microsoft competence %u2014 he was a multiplicative one, galvanizing the company%u2019s overall energy to a level of explosive growth, like a nuclear reactor reaching critical mass.A way to think about what happened at Microsoft is that Ballmer increased the talent density of the organization. His new set of skills and energy made everyone else more productive.Talent density challenges the traditional bell curve concept, which has dominated company hiring and compensation thinking for decades but which can promote acceptance of some built-in mediocrity. The talent density approach emphasizes ensuring that every hire or promotion decision is a force multiplier that boosts the team%u2019s overall capability. It%u2019s based on two key principles:With the right support and training, every individual can achieve more.Certain individuals are %u201chyper-performers,%u201d who should be incentivized and rewarded accordingly.In a perfect world, you%u2019d always hire 10x performers for your company. But in fact, HR processes often prevent this from happening. First, grading on a bell curve can discourage hyperperformers from joining, as it restricts the proportion of employees rated as top performers, no matter how well individuals perform. It%u2019s like Coach Steve Kerr telling the Golden State Warriors that only Steph Curry can make the All-Star team. Why push hard if there%u2019s no real chance to stand out? Second, managers may feel intimidated by these high achievers, leading them to overlook or bypass such talent. It%u2019s well known in HR that five-star managers hire five-star people, while four-star managers hire three-star people. In other words, bringing in a 10x performer can be a nono for a manager who is insecure about their own position.As a result, our performance systems often work against talent density. But in a world of talent scarcity and relentless pressure to maintain market leadership, we need to push back against this psychology and find more scientific ways of growing our bench.Breaking the %u201cLet%u2019s Grow by Hiring%u201d ImpulseTraditionally, many companies have adapted a %u201chire to grow%u201d mentality, or a belief that increasing headcount directly leads to growth. In the race for first-mover advantage, the mantra %u201cget big