Are You Hiring Potential Superstars?
The quality and character of the individuals essential to the operations of a company directly affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the business, in addition to having a direct impact on the pleasure of those who own and operate it. Simply put, the higher the caliber of those you choose to hire, the more happiness and success you will derive from your company.
As an executive business coach and consultant, every business I work with has – at some point – experienced issues with its team members. A reality for every business is the potential for people on staff to continually inhibit the smooth operation of the company, as well as, negatively impacting the work environment itself.
These team members typically do not handle themselves, or their position, well – they are not easy to communicate with, consistently have complaints and personal issues, are resistant to learning and change, and therefore, create a drag on the overall moral and success of the entire organization. Owners and managers must frequently spend a great amount of time working with them to improve performance and attitude, or they may find it easier to avoid them all together because they don’t know how to effectively handle the situation.
There is a better choice here! By hiring potential superstars – individuals with a positive attitude, who are solution-oriented, with a willingness to learn, a desirable skill set, and strong character – you will position your company to operate far more effectively and achieve new levels of happiness and success.
In hiring potential superstars, the first step is to “stack your bench”. Think of your company in terms of a sports team. Should a member of your team need to be replaced due to underperformance or lack of commitment, you will need someone to replace them. Unless you have qualified, motivated and effective “players” to bring in, you will be hesitant to make a change.
Many business owners and managers fail to let go of ineffective team members that inhibit the company’s operations because they do not have qualified candidates ready to replace them. By gathering a list of solid individuals to choose from you will be positioned to make the necessary changes that will enhance your team, and therefore, the performance of your business.
As with any successful team, it is vital that you do not just “fill” a position with the first available person. Instead, strive to hire the very best person you can for the position by carefully considering excellent candidates that embody the values, mission, goals and objectives of your business. By doing so, you will make a strong choice for your company, your team, the clients and customers you serve and yourself.
I work with many companies throughout the process of interviewing potential candidates to “stack their bench” with qualified team players. This process always includes the standard procedures of completing applications and submitting resumes. Some also choose to have them complete standard hiring or behavioral assessments, such as a DISC profile, but we do not rely on these tools alone. The most important part of exploring the fit of any individual for your team is the actual interview.
I highly recommend that interviews be done in person, and more than once with qualified candidates. The vast majority of communication comes to us through body language and tonality, with spoken words accounting for a mere 6 percent of the actual message. Knowing this, and preparing to interview with the assistance of a qualified coach and consultant, can help you understand what an interviewee is telling you not only with their words, but also in their tone and body language – the truest signs of who they really are.
Assistance can also position you to ask questions that provide clues into a person’s level of commitment and involvement. For example, by asking what they do in their free time you can ascertain their engagement in other areas of life. There is typically a significant difference between a person who spends a great deal of time on the computer or watching television, and one who seeks out opportunities to learn, read and stay physically active. The more engaged a person is in their personal life, the more likely they are to be an engaged team member.
In the end you will need to trust your gut. There are no guarantees, but when you do your due diligence, you will position yourself to make the best choice possible in identifying potential superstars for your team.
