 Is your organization one where top talent goes to die? Have you been successful in finding and hiring great people in your organization and then wonder “where they went” once they started working? I’ve actually had clients admit that their company was the place where great talent goes to die. But, they couldn’t figure out why especially since they already had great talent who were supportive of the company’s mission & purpose. It may be helpful to understand, or at least review, part of the mind-set of top-performers. In part, they need to know what success looks like and when they’ll actually reach that place. Top-performers also need to be challenged. They won’t be content being contained in a box being told what to do. They’ll shut down and eventually leave for another opportunity that challenges them and where they can grow both professionally and personally. In this situation, the team wanted and needed to be part of building the strategy to company’s road to success. They weren’t content with this task falling solely in the hands of the leader. More importantly, the team needed to know that once they developed a strategy for success that the leader was going to buy into it. Did you catch that?
The team needed to know that the leader bought into the strategy developed by the team instead of undermining it because, for example, it wasn’t the leader’s idea or the leader doubted the expertise and experience of the team. The organization already had awesome talent that rivaled any in the industry. Now, that talent needed the support of the leader to let them do what they were hired to do. Some leaders need to learn to let the team they hired do their job. It may be the missing link to an organization’s success. This may be a growth edge and easier said than done for many leaders. If you’re a leader facing this challenge, I’d encourage you to step off your island and seek the objective input of others to hold you accountable in making this (or other) change. Whether it’s an executive/business coach, peer group or a swami of your choosing, taking that journey with someone far better ensures success and sustainability than going it alone. Please comment with your thoughts and questions below. If you enjoyed this post and/or know anyone who might benefit from reading it, please “like” and “share”
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 One of the most challenging feats in any organization is finding, interviewing and hiring not only the most qualified candidate for an available position, but equally as important, the most qualified candidate for your organization. The two are not the same. What’s the difference and how do you solve each challenge? Well, read on . . . Although sometimes challenging to identify a candidate with a qualified skill set, it’s often the easier of the two tasks. Skills are often objective and can be trained. Experience is a bit more subjective, but still can be vetted by asking specific questions about past accomplishments and lessons learned. A strong interview can give the hiring company a fairly accurate idea of where the candidate has been and what they’ve accomplished. And, very little of that is going to let you know if any candidate might be a good fit for your organization. Let’s assume you have, what you believe to be, a star candidate in front of you. You may have even actively sought them out as “a perfect fit” for the position you are looking to fill. They may even be renown as “the best” at whatever it is they do for a profession and maybe even in your specific industry - - LOTS of relevant & valuable experience! In many cases, this is where most interviews end. The candidate is hired and a few months later you have this honest and painful thought, “This just isn’t working out. They’re just not the right fit for our company”. We’ve all been there. We hire the “perfect candidate” and they just don’t work out. Vetting culture fit is often left to chance because hiring organizations don’t know how to interview a candidate to avoid this from happening. This mystery is about to be unlocked. Here it is: If you doubt the importance of exploring why your company exists, your organization’s core values and your organization’s overarching goal - - if you think any of those things are “too fluffly” or existential or have nothing to do with business - - you may want to reconsider your perspective. These 3 parts of your organization (A.K.A. your organization’s “Navigation System”) serve as your guide to, among other things, determining whether or not a candidate is the best [ insert position here ] for your organization. These puzzle pieces define the unique requirements for your organization and allow interviews to progress into a phase often ignored. The candidate’s résumé got them the interview. That’s history. Now, you need to determine if they’re willing and able to help you and your organization accomplish your specific future goals, and, if those goals are even important to them. You can only determine this if you, as the leader, have set the course. If you have, you can interview candidates not only to learn where they’ve been, but also where they’re going, and if it syncs up specifically with your organization. Armed with your organization’s Navigation System you’re now able to determine things about candidates such as, what motivates them, can they get us to where we’re going, how can they get us to where we’re going, will they get along with other team members, can I trust them, will they hold themselves and others accountable, what innovative ideas can they develop to help us reach our goals, how will they treat our clients, etc.. Hiring the wrong person for a position is an expensive mistake. The most skilled and experienced candidate may not be the best candidate for your organization. The sooner this is figured out, the better for all involved. Please comment with your thoughts and questions below. If you enjoyed this post and/or know anyone who might benefit from reading it, please “like” and “share” |
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