Few decisions impact profitability more – for better or worse – than people decisions. Hire the strongest talent and put them on your biggest opportunities. Seems like a good idea, but does it work?
In theory, putting the strongest talent on your biggest problems works. The company with the strongest talent almost always enjoys a competitive advantage. The more common reality however, is that companies do not hire the strongest talent. Instead, they hire who they can get, then get what they hired.
Consider that your company will only be as good as the people it hires. In many respects, your employees are your company. They ultimately determine the performance of your company’s critical metrics. Unfortunately, expecting above average results from average performers is the unspoken paradigm facing many managers today.
In his seminal book, “Good To Great”, author Jim Collins makes it clear; achieving sustainable progress requires the right people ‘on the bus’ (and the wrong ones off). Managers agree; getting the right people into the right positions makes a huge difference. It seems so simple, so why is it so hard?
There are several key reasons why getting the ‘right people on the bus’ is difficult:
- Top talent is in short supply. Statistically, most people are average, (Garrison Keillor notwithstanding). Since they are most plentiful and easiest to come by, many companies simply follow the path of least resistance. The net effect is that many companies end up mainly with average performers. In turn, they produce average results.
- Other employers don’t want to lose their top talent, any more than yours does. They try to take care of their best people by keeping them engaged. They try even harder to retain them, when they find out they’re about to leave.
- As a result, when you’re looking for talent, you won’t see the resumes of the people you’d like to hire. They don’t even know you’re looking for them and they’re not looking for you. They’re busy, actively engaged and need to be successfully recruited.
Since top notch people are in short supply and more difficult to recruit, some companies are simply not willing to invest the time or money to go after them. Instead, they hire the best of what they see through internet postings, employee referrals, job fairs, etc. Occasionally, a strong performer turns up through these sources. But they are the exception rather than the rule.
There are other reasons why companies often settle for less, but the net impact is the same; The right people are still not on the bus. Until they are, your company will fall short of its potential. Hiring mistakes are painful and costly. The real misfortune is that oftentimes, they’re avoidable.
What Needs to Change?
Hiring managers must be given the latitude to hire top talent. Achieving success for these managers oftentimes means their function is able to deliver at a higher level. Most managers appreciate that every position they fill is an opportunity to upgrade the performance of their department. Yet too often, their hiring choices are reduced to selecting the best from the average.
At Driesen & Associates, Inc., helping you get the right people on the bus is what we do. Our experience will guide you to maximize your opportunities and minimize your risks. You will end up with strongest talent to put on your biggest opportunities so that your company can gain the competitive advantage.
When the stakes are high, there is no substitute for experience, especially experience guided by integrity. One of our most critical success factors that sets us apart is the trust we establish through the integrity of our process. (Check us out on the Trust tab under clients.)
Recent Comments