One of the benefits of this economic turbulence we're experiencing is that there is much talant available for your growing business (or for your business that is limping along).

I've had the pleasure of helping my clients hire senior-level talent during the last few years. It's true that some of my CEOs ask traditional questions that most of you have heard during the interview process. My favorite question is 'What will your 180 plan look like from day one?'

There are several reasons I like this question:

-1- I want to make sure my client is hiring a leader, not a follower.

-2- If a leader, that means the new hire will manage him/herself as opposed to the CEO constantly making sure the new hire is keeping up or trying to maintain pace with the rest of the team.

In a similar vein, Good to Great author Jim Collins addresses the caliber of people that gets a company through an economic storm. Check it out over at Fortune.