ExcelsiorP3

About two years ago, a client hired me to help them find a new Director of HR for their rapidly expanding firm of approximately 200 employees. This client told me that their last HR Director was not strategic enough to support their growth: she devoted far too much time to daily tactical HR issues and far too little time to high level strategic human capital initiatives; in other words, this HR Director was not ensuring that my client had the right people in the right roles to support their rapid growth.

So to address this challenge, my first step was to create a job description that defines success.  Using our Peak Performance Profile™ (P3™) Tool, we identified precisely what Tasks, Results, Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviors were required to achieve the company’s objectives for the new Director of HR.  We then began sourcing and screening candidates until we could narrow the list down to the top three individuals that were the best fit for the job.

But here’s where it gets interesting: as I explained to the CEO of the company, the candidate who was the “top” fit would not be their best choice. While he was a perfect fit for the “job” as per the requirements of the P3™, he was not, however, the best fit for the “culture” of the existing management team that he would be joining. I explained further that the candidate’s manner of thinking and decision making, in addition to his communication style and work pace, were in complete opposition to the rest of the management team. Since I had the opportunity to work with the existing team, I was aware that they were not willing to make any drastic adjustments to their styles to accommodate this new employee and therefore, I knew that this seemingly “top” fit for the job was not going to work out for them and told the CEO to take a pass!

The CEO didn’t heed my advice. Being the “optimistic fellow” that he was, he hired him anyway. About thirty days later, I received a call from the CEO telling me that I was right: his management team hated this guy and they let him go a few weeks later.

So you might be wondering how I knew all of this. Did I have a crystal ball? Am I some sort of psychic, blessed with powers that allow me to see into any employee’s future? Of course not. I simply used a personality assessment tool.   The science of human behavior has been studied since the mid 1860’s and these types of assessment tools have been utilized in the workplace since the 1940’s.  Like all technology, they have come a long way and when used correctly, are extremely accurate at predicting behavior!

Whenever I hire someone, there are two important ways in which I utilize these tools. First, I use the assessment tool to determine a benchmark for what the “ideal and/or required” behavioral traits of the job are. Secondly, I ask each team member and the candidate to complete an assessment in order to determine how the new hire matches the requirements of the job AND how he or she will interact with each member of the team. Both are essential steps towards putting the right person in the right role.

My approach should not sound completely novel. As I stated, the business world has been using personality assessment tools for over seventy years. In my experience, I would say that they are becoming the norm in many businesses, not only in hiring and selection, but also in coaching, team building, conflict resolution and more. There are literally hundreds of tools available in today’s marketplace; they are fantastic resources for employers. But in order to utilize them in the best possible fashion in your business, you need to know a few key things:

1) Like any tool, they are only as good as the person using them. This means that anyone using these tools needs to be fully trained in their use and application and/or be working closely with a certified psychometric analyst and consultant.

2) Ensure that the tool is validated and meets the requirements of the American Psychology Association and “Guidelines” of the EEOC. You want to be working with legitimate, proven tools. This isn’t your college psychology grade; this is your business, which depends on you getting the right people in the right roles that fit them and your team.

Finally, please keep in mind that the behavioral attributes are equally as important in determining the “right fit” as is their specific knowledge and experience in successfully doing the job.  The behavioral component helps you determine if this job is going to be a “natural” way for them to behave or if and how much they will have to modify and adjust their behavior to get the job done.  When all three are in alignment: 1. Specific Knowledge of the job 2. Experience in applying the knowledge successfully and 3. Alignment of the required behaviors with the natural behaviors of the candidate; the results are someone who can consistently achieve results while enjoying what they do!  Utilizing these tools and proven methodologies, your chances of hiring and retaining top talent will go up dramatically.

Much Success,

~ Mike