I think you <i>have</i> to think about employee development, which means that the requirement of the to-be-great employee becomes willingness to learn and dedication to the company (or you). This doesn't always mean spending time on mentoring them but can also include giving them a job that is just a bit taxing to their current abilities.<p>How to? Take them out to a coffee on the first day and get personal with them. Then talk about their goals and what they want from the job. What they value in their life. To be a great CEO, you have to be a great leader.<p>Because you cannot build a great company if you don't respect your people as people.
What you need to do is inspire people and discern who's going to be the best/ world class/whatever your terms are/ fit for your company.<p>Because, you're not getting the best VPs. They're taken. They're bored. They're not that good, just got lucky. There's always something.<p>A good team leader is able to get the best team without having the best individuals.