S = Strategic
I’ve decided to follow-up my series on DELEGATION with one on HIRING. My reasoning is pretty straightforward here: There’s an obvious—and logical—connection between these two essential executive functions:
Before you can assign work to a person, you have to HAVE a person to assign work TO!
Here’s another way of thinking about the connection between these two functions:
DELEGATION is a whole lot easier (and more successful) if you HIRE the right person in the first place!
Can I get an AMEN from all you hard-working managers out there???!!
In the organizations I serve, conversations about staffing usually come down to this:
How do I find and hire “sharper” people?
In this series of blogposts, I’m going to describe the qualities that define a “sharper” person and help you learn how to detect those qualities in the hiring process. So… stay tuned, and don’t miss a post!
To begin with, SHARPER is an acronym for seven qualities of a great hire. In this post, I’m going to focus on the “S” which stands for “strategic.” A person who is strategic is smart enough and motivated enough to think and act beyond the next task or assignment. They don’t just focus on activities; they think about the big picture of results—and how to achieve those results EASIER, BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER, SMARTER, or SAFER.
We’re not talking about the “minimal mindset” here—represented by the employee whose only concern is to exert the minimum effort required to qualify for their next paycheck (and maybe keep the boss of their back!). We’re talking about the “maximum mindset”—exemplified by the team member who is always trying to figure out how to get the most done and achieve the greatest impact in the best way possible.
These THINKING people are results-driven, and bring real, measurable, bottom-line value to any organization, team, or boss.
How do you know if your candidate is strategic???
If you are hiring for a front-line position…
Make the following request during the interview: “Tell me about a time you figured out how to streamline a certain job or function and make it easier or faster to accomplish.” Their answer will tell you right away if they work and think strategically.
If you are hiring for a supervisory or managerial position…
Use this additional request: “If you were hired for this position, tell me what 2 or 3 things you would focus on accomplishing in the first 6 to 12 months.” Better yet, put them in a room with paper and pen and ask them to write down their plan and be prepared in three hours to present their plan orally to you and your interview team. You will be able to make a fairly good assessment of four key leadership skills:
- Their ability to think strategically;
- Their ability to communicate in writing;
- Their ability to communicate verbally; and
- Their ability to present before a group—to organize and deliver their ideas in a clear and compelling way.
If you are hiring at an executive level…
You might consider this additional overnight assignment: Ask them to write out a description of what a typical week at work would look like for them in six months after their hire. You can study their description and determine if they are likely to move the job and its activities in the direction you feel is necessary. For example, if you feel the position requires time in the field and they describe spending most of their time in their office, they may not be a good match for the job.
Are you looking for more good ideas? Stay tuned for upcoming posts! I’m going to share EVEN MORE valuable insights and useful tools culled from years of experience and wisdom! And if you need help developing your hiring skills (or developing your employee’s hiring skills)—CALL US! We can train your people how to find and hire team members who will move your organization forward!
And in-between posts, take a few moments and give us some feedback—we would love to hear from you!
Until next time… Yours for better leaders and better organizations,
Dr. Jim Dyke – “The Boss Doctor” ™ helping you to BE a better boss and to HAVE a better boss!
