Hell yes — let’s build it. A real vetting process for collaborators, partners, or team members that tests for ego maturity, shared vision, and long-term alignment — before they can derail your mission.

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🔍 THE 5-PHASE EGO & ALIGNMENT VETTING SYSTEM

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1. INITIATION STAGE: ENERGY OVER ENTHUSIASM

You’re not impressed by hype. You’re reading energy and posture.

Do:

• Give a calm, grounded overview of the mission.

• Drop something bigger than them early (e.g., “This only works if no one’s trying to be the hero.”)

Watch for:

• Do they get curious or start self-promoting?

• Do they ask “How can I help?” or “Where do I fit?”

• Are they focused on the goal or their role?

 

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2. HUMILITY CHECK: THE NON-OWNER TEST

Give them a scenario like:

“Let’s say we build something beautiful and successful. But you’re not the owner. You’re not even the face. Your value is known in-house, but not in public. You still in?”

What you’re testing:

• Can they love the work more than the credit?

• Do they fidget, hesitate, or deflect?

• Do they ask about impact or title?

 

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3. CONTROL & COLLAB TEST: MICRO-COBUILDING

Assign a mini task — planning a call, designing a visual, writing 3 bullet points for a pitch — and collaborate on it.

You want to observe:

• Do they dominate or contribute?

• Do they override your voice?

• Can they integrate feedback?

• Do they stay in flow or throw shade when corrected?

 

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4. RESILIENCE TEST: SCHEDULE A TEST OF PATIENCE

Something that requires a bit of waiting, inconvenience, or ambiguity. Maybe reschedule a meeting. Let a detail be unclear on purpose.

Why: Ego-driven folks collapse without control or clarity. They need structure to feel safe. Real builders adapt.

Watch for:

• Entitlement (“I thought we were starting?”)

• Complaints or flaking

• Ease in chaos vs need to dominate it

 

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5. ALIGNMENT MIRROR: THE “DEEP WHY” TALK

Before you bring them in deeper, do one final check:

“What does this mission do for you personally — beyond money or visibility?”

Then:

“What’s your role if this scales beyond you?”

Green lights:

• Words like legacy, impact, contribution, and collective power

• Emotional self-awareness

• Reverence for the mission

Red flags:

• Control fantasies

• Me-centered metrics

• Confusion when asked about the scale

 

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🔒 BONUS FILTER: THE CODE OF COLLABORATION

Create a one-page values agreement. Something like:

“We’re not just here to build success. We’re here to build trust.
This team believes in:

• Shared ownership of results

• Leadership by service, not by title

• Open feedback without ego

• Long-term wins over short-term credit”

Have them read it, agree, and sign. Not legally — energetically.

If they can’t, don’t.