Chapter 32 Ensure the Right Fit
As we discussed in the previous chapter, to build an extraordinary team you should make sure that new hires have the talent to perform with excellence. Along with talent, however, you must also evaluate the issue of fit. As you know, organizational cultures differ, management styles differ, and business challenges differ. Remember the GIFT Formula discussion from Chapter 14 :
If your goal is to build extraordinary teams, and if you want to get the greatest return on your investments in your team members, you must pay attention to both talent and fit.
Chris and the Caribbean Hotel
A recruiter called me to check a reference on my friend Chris, who was being considered for a general manager role for a Caribbean hotel. I asked the recruiter to tell me more about the specific expectations and challenges of the job. He relayed that the hotel was the most prominent business on the island, and therefore the hotel's general manager would be involved with the governor and would have to be heavily involved in community affairs. As I listened, it became evident that the job involved a lot of politics. Chris was a great guy and a talented general manager, but he was a very blunt and straightforward individual. He was not a good diplomat and he was not at all good at politics.
I told the recruiter that I did not recommend Chris for the job. He was dumbfounded. “But Chris put your name as a reference,” he said. “What am I going to tell him?” I said, “Don't worry, I will tell him myself. There is no way he would be happy in that job.”
I immediately called Chris and explained why he should stay away from that job. Chris thanked me and withdrew as a candidate.
We Are Never Satisfied
I once worked with a highly talented chief executive officer whose motto was, “We are never satisfied.” His drive for continuous improvement was relentless. I assure you, not everyone was a good fit with his style. Some really good people were exhausted by his attitude. But others saw him as a kindred spirit. So when we were selecting direct reports for him, we gave candidates this motto and paid attention to their reaction. Some asked with hope, “Is this really true?” One said, “What a sad way to be.” Neither response is inherently more desirable than the other under every circumstance. But in this circumstance, it was a critical element of fit.
The experiment here is similar to the experiment in the previous chapter but the focus is on fit rather than talent for the job.
Experiment: What Makes Someone a Good Fit for You?
Identify three people who thrive in your organizational culture under your unique management style.
For each person, identify what makes them such a good fit.
Ask each of those people to say what they think makes them a good fit.
Identify items that you all seem to agree on.
As you interview candidates, focus on the items from the preceding step.
After you have hired three people using this approach, review how it has worked for you.
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