A good cultural fit leads to higher productivity and longevity. Many studies have uncovered that lack of employee fit (based on attitudes, work habits, values, etc.) is one of the main reasons for new-hire failure and employee turnover. Conversely, innovation and bottom-line productivity depend on having a workforce that is aligned with the corporate culture and values of the organization.  

To better appreciate the role of culture fit in uncovering the best quality candidates, let’s look at the broader concept of fit and the reasons why culture fit is important in today’s business environment. Fit is typically defined in two distinct ways:

• Job fit – the degree to which the candidate’s skills and experience are relevant to the job
• Organizational fit – the candidate’s compatibility with the organization’s attitudes, beliefs and values

The bottom line is that cultural fit matters. Research shows that individuals selected on the basis of culture fit will contribute faster, perform better and stay longer. Isn’t that what all employers want?

While this all sounds good, organizations seem to struggle with how to design, choose and implement a pre-employment assessment. Here are a few things to consider:

• Match the Assessment to Its Purpose – Some assessments are strictly a screening tool. Other assessments offer deeper insights into a candidate that may help you select talent that best fits the position. Just remember, not all assessments are equal and if an assessment is not used for the purpose for which it was designed, it may produce misleading and inaccurate conclusions.
• Measure and Predict Broadly – Consider using assessments that evaluate a broad range of competencies such as interpersonal skills, motivation and cognitive skills.
• Leverage Assessments to Manage Risk – High quality pre-employment assessments reduce the risk of (1) selecting low quality new hires and (2) using indefensible selection practices.

The use of pre-employment assessments has increased dramatically in recent years and is expected to continue. Opportunities for assessments to be a major contributing influence on a company’s talent management have never been stronger.

Based on article by Evan Sinar, DDI

The lessons learned here extend well beyond baseball. What did Billy Beane really do? He identified objective, quantifiable ways to measure player potential that turned out to be more accurate predictors of on-field success. That is exactly what pre-interview candidate screening and testing can do to help business owners/managers put the right people in the right positions on their “teams.” The importance of talent acquisition and management cannot be overstated…it is essential for business success in this highly competitive economic environment.

Given high unemployment, financial regulations and escalating healthcare costs, the uncertain economy remains the number one driver behind Human Capital Management efforts. Efficiency is a paramount concern for talent initiatives in this economy and organizations need to balance cost-savings with quality investments.

Historically recruiting was measured on its ability to fill positions as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Today, organizations can no longer afford a bad hire when based on recent data, the average estimated cost of replacing a sales rep is $34,420. Organizations that need to achieve results must focus on quality of hire. The balance of cost-savings and quality is essential to making the organization more efficient.

The study identified the following as top challenges faced by many organizations today:

• Achieving organizational growth goals
• Employee retention
• Lack of key skills in workforce
• Changes in demographics (retirement of baby boomers)
• Difficulty transferring knowledge within workforce

Although today’s organizations face some difficult challenges and choices, taking time to reevaluate and update processes used to identify and manage talent will help move organizations forward in 2012.

Article provided by Aberdeen Group: Aberdeen.Research@aberdeenreport.com

Selecting the right employee

But most employers still use the traditional method – Gut Feeling

“Most selection decisions are still made in the first 5 minutes of the interview and are often based on the gut feelings of the interviewer,” says Dee Mayer.

Gut Feeling hires result in low productivity and high turnover.

Profiles to Partners works with each client to select  the most qualified job candidate using our Develop, Discover, Decide system. Within the Discovery Phase, we make extensive use of behavioural-pattern analysis to probe the job applicant for specific examples of their past.

The reason is simple: The best predictor of a job applicant’s future work behavior is their past work behavior.

Profiles to Partners works with client companies of all sizes to understand, adopt, and enact the following Smart Interviewing Best Practices:

• Plan a logical, structured interview that includes pre-planned interview questions
• Develop an interview plan based on thorough knowledge of the job
• Use behavioral-based questions that probe specific life-history events that can then be used to determine the presence or absence of a skill
• Use interviewing techniques that help maintain interviewer control
• Understand the questions that cannot be legally asked in the interview process

Armed with the skills outlined above, you should execute each interview by:

Refraining from judging an applicant on gut feeling by: asking rapport-building questions;  discussing the job; taking notes and explaining why; asking specific, open-ended questions to get specific answers; allowing for silence if necessary; maintaining control; getting contrary evidence and evaluating.

What characteristics should you look for in future leaders of your company?

Perhaps you have staff members with the desire to become owners. Look for those who share your vision and have a tendency toward entrepreneurship. Watch for those who step up to organize company events, volunteer for community activities, and represent the company at important functions.

First, consider that although people may have a tendency toward or away from leadership, leaders can be developed. And leadership development is now your job if you are to enhance value in your company.

Here are some things to look for:

• Who shares your vision?
• Who is highly motivated?
• Who contributes extra effort (beyond 8 to 5 work day)?
• Who loves their job?
• Who is highly committed to and connects well with your clients?
• Who does the staff and business community contact to resolve issues?

Potential owners must contribute to the company by being successful project managers as well as having the ability to lead a group, department, particular client, or specialty area. They must also perform with a high level of independence. You should expect to play a support role as needed, but they should come to you with recommendations—for example, “Here is how I’d approach this problem. What do you think?” instead of “I’ve got a problem, what should I do?”

Finally, keep in mind that no one is going to do the job the same way you did. You must realize that there is not just one way (your way) of managing and leading the company. Your role must shift to that of mentor, advisor, and trainer of the future leaders of the company. With your support and guidance, they can successfully focus on marketing and producing high-quality products/services for your clients.

You must realize that your role shifts to that of a mentor…your job is not to do the work for the new leaders but to direct them as they learn how to do the work. And remember, this “learning experience” takes time, so plan ahead!

Source: H.Edmund Bergeron, LLS, PE
Image by: Master isolated images

Project Leaders come in many different varieties…there is no “one-size-fits-all” formula for directing projects. That being said, a project leader’s success will depend on their ability to align vision with execution. Great project leaders focus on deploying the necessary resources at the right time to achieve desired results. If you want to make sure you’ve selected the right project leader, keep a watchful eye out for the following five characteristics:

1. EGOS ARE IN CHECK - The best project leaders readily put their own egos aside and aren’t above getting their hands dirty to help other team members accomplish their tasks.  Successful leaders are content to work behind the scenes, orchestrating the offense while others do most of the scoring. They know their people will be more willing to work if their leader is also seen working on the team’s behalf.

2. RELATIONSHIP BUILDERS – Great project leaders know how to identify key external players. It’s crucial to know who has the ultimate power to green-light funding and other important high-level aspects of a project. They are usually good at working with assistants and middle managers who will actually be using the product being developed or service being provided.

3. GREAT COMMUNICATORS – Good communication is critical when directing projects. Using silence strategically to keep the team members involved and engaged can be very powerful. Equally important is having the courage and integrity to “call things as they see them.” Successful project leaders are also able to make meetings a meaningful time and place to exchange information, identify solutions to problems and discuss new ideas.

4. SAVVY NEGOTIATORS – Great project leaders know how to handle difficult negotiations. They are in control of their emotions and have the ability to remain calm and listen to both sides of a situation before making recommendations or decisions. By modeling a collaborative decision-making process, they are often successful in gaining mutual agreement.

5. PASSIONATE – Some of the best project leaders are the ones that are truly passionate about success.  They work tirelessly to see the project and their team succeed. While they are open the new ideas and willing to “adjust the strategy” when necessary, they do not give up…great leaders refuse to lose.

It’s important to point out that great project leaders not only typically have all five of these qualities, but also have the wisdom and insight to know when to use them.

Are you in a position of selecting a leader for your project? What characteristics do you think will be most valuable for your organization?  Comments welcome!

All of us know these “giants”….leaders that stand out in crowds, who have risen to the top and who accomplish significantly more than their peers.  It is inspiring when organizations overcome tough challenges guided by leaders who genuinely inspire greatness in the work environment. Authentic leaders protect the self-worth of all working professionals and value an employee’s drive to achieve extraordinary things.

With growing complexities in corporate America, “giants” at every level will need to embrace the challenges and create successes within their organizations.  More than ever, today’s companies need leaders who are effective at unlocking the giant in others…and within themselves. These leaders, who reflect greater cohesive role modeling and are prepared to make brave decisions, act quickly and honorably, and demonstrate a profound respect for people and stakeholders, will take their organizations to a new level of greatness.

Who are the “giants” in your organization?  Have you taken the time to ensure they have the tools to continue developing themselves and those around them?  If you don’t spend time ensuring the growth and happiness of your giants, they become good targets for recruiters and could one day end up leading one of your competitors organizations.

Source: The Infusion Group, LLC

One of the best ways to assess the effectiveness of a leader is to observe the others around him or her. If the person is in demand, if others feel they would not be as effective in their positions without them, if people will actually follow direction from this person without hesitation, then you probably have identified a good leader.

Here are five metrics we suggest when assessing your leaders:

1. FINANCIAL
How much has the company grown under the leader’s vision? (revenues, profitability, cash on books, sales pipeline)

2. DECISION MAKING SKILLS
What is the impact of decisions made by the leadership to the bottom-line?
(Financial, customer value, business process, staff learning and growth)

3. FUTURE LEADER DEVELOPMENT
What is the percentage of next generation leaders developed by this person or team?  What is the rate of turnover?  How many employees under this leadership have been successfully promoted into higher positions?

4. STRATEGIC PLANS IMPLEMENTED
What percentage of governing ideas, strategies, operational plans, contingency plans and individual plans have been implemented in the time period allotted?

5. RELATIONSHIPS
How many valuable partnerships have been developed or strengthened by the leader that truly benefits the organization?

Senior leadership needs to be involved in selecting leaders.

Hire for leadership, not just functional or academic expertise.
Are you looking for someone with great IT skills hoping that they will also turn out to be good leaders? Even when a high level of technical or scientific proficiency is required, look for experts who also have the desire and potential to lead others and help them grow into those roles.

Learn about the person’s values and behavior before hiring.
What values and behaviors must someone have in order to succeed in your company? And once you have them identified, are you screening potential candidates for those specific behaviors? Well designed screening processes, assessments and interview tools can assist in identifying competencies like ability to work with a team, interpersonal skills, ethics, intellectual capacity and temperament. It is also often helpful to include situational questions to assess a person’s behavior in a given situation.

Be willing to bring in outside talent when necessary but take steps to ensure successful assimilation into your culture.
While it’s nice to promote from within the company, sometimes it is necessary to recruit outside leaders at higher organizational levels. In this situation, it is very important to consider that new leadership may change the culture of the organization. Therefore, it is essential that you do the necessary research to find talent that will be a good “fit” in your organization. Once new leadership is in place, visible signs of support from the top levels of the organization is essential.

Be honest about who has the greatest leadership potential and develop them.
Do not get locked into predetermined “stars” in your organization. Keep your eyes open for others whose leadership talent might emerge later. Keep in mind that while high potential leaders deliver results, results alone do not indicate high potential. Make use of objective assessment data to determine who has the potential to rise to the highest levels of your organization and do all you can to accelerate their growth.

Sources: The Talent Masters, Bill Conaty and Ram Charan, BNET, SHRM