There are many horror stories about hiring. Once, a nurse hired at a public service agency I was part of, made a number of inappropriate comments, advocated for the wrong party at a meeting, and expressed a number of other bizarre behaviors. Luckily she exhibited these behaviors during the probation period, and was easily let go. A number of companies though, struggle with toxic workers, who in general make life miserable for those around them, and have somehow managed to become entrenched in the business, making it a legal and a financial headache to fire them.
There are of course businesses whose sole mission is to recruit and find the right candidates for companies as well as a number of assessments and techniques to interview candidates.
However, if you are looking to hire someone, you need to first assess yourself and your team. How can you know what kind of person you are looking for if you don’t know what skills, dynamics, and propensities exist in your team?
In general, you need to make sure there is a match on three levels: values, temperament, and skills. All three of these factors are determined by what your team already has.
A program director I knew, who brought inspiration and work to the mission of his program, was unable to move on a number of initiatives because of disorganization. The person who was in charge of organizing the programs was woefully inadequate at organizing, even though he had a number of skills and temperament inclinations that could work better at other positions.
In general, there are 5 areas to think about your team:
People tend to have strengths around one or more these areas, with some being more prominent than others on a given individual. When one is missing or overrepresented, it can have an impact on the team’s effectiveness and productivity.
When people don’t consciously think of the five different areas, they tend to look for those with similar strengths. For example, an individual that is very drive might look to hire others with that same quality, when what is needed is someone who has a natural eye for quality and details.
Assess your own strengths before hiring. It pays off in the long run.
There are of course businesses whose sole mission is to recruit and find the right candidates for companies as well as a number of assessments and techniques to interview candidates.
However, if you are looking to hire someone, you need to first assess yourself and your team. How can you know what kind of person you are looking for if you don’t know what skills, dynamics, and propensities exist in your team?
In general, you need to make sure there is a match on three levels: values, temperament, and skills. All three of these factors are determined by what your team already has.
A program director I knew, who brought inspiration and work to the mission of his program, was unable to move on a number of initiatives because of disorganization. The person who was in charge of organizing the programs was woefully inadequate at organizing, even though he had a number of skills and temperament inclinations that could work better at other positions.
In general, there are 5 areas to think about your team:
- Is it able to accomplish things (work ethic)?
- Is there excitement and inspiration in the work?
- Is there a sense of caring, for each other and for the customer?
- Is there an eye for quality and for meaning in the work?
- Is there innovative thinking and flexibility?
People tend to have strengths around one or more these areas, with some being more prominent than others on a given individual. When one is missing or overrepresented, it can have an impact on the team’s effectiveness and productivity.
When people don’t consciously think of the five different areas, they tend to look for those with similar strengths. For example, an individual that is very drive might look to hire others with that same quality, when what is needed is someone who has a natural eye for quality and details.
Assess your own strengths before hiring. It pays off in the long run.
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