Ira Birns on leadership
From CFO Hiring Secrets: What Ira Birns Looks for in Every Candidate. · · Hire Learning with Oz Rashid
“During COVID, I felt lonely and figured a lot of people felt scared and lonely. To connect, I sent personal emails to about 15 to 20 employees daily and started an in-house weekly podcast where hundreds dial in to hear updates and celebrate together. This human connection was vital to keep alignment and morale in a 1,000-person remote team.”
On , Ira Birns, President & Chief Financial Officer at WORLD KINECT CORP, spoke about leadership during CFO Hiring Secrets: What Ira Birns Looks for in Every Candidate. on Hire Learning with Oz Rashid.
About Ira Birns
In a May 2025 podcast appearance, Ira Birns discussed his hiring philosophy and approach to leadership. He stated that he looks for candidates who are "humble, hungry, and smart," a framework he attributed to the book *The Ideal Team Player* by Patrick Lencioni. Birns said his favorite interview question is asking candidates what questions they have for him, and he described a lack of questions as a "red flag." He also emphasized the importance of alignment within an organization, noting that differing views on priorities can cause hires to go wrong. Birns also spoke about efforts to maintain human connection during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he sent personal emails to 15 to 20 employees daily and started an internal weekly podcast. He described the hiring process as often taking too long and stressed the need for clear job specifications. Reflecting on his career, Birns advised his younger self to "trust yourself more" and said that making mistakes is part of growth.