When we decide to open a new position, we are eager to get it filled as quickly as possible. If the opening is the result of someone leaving the company, we are typically in an even greater hurry to fill the role. Whether we are backfilling a position that was vacated when someone left, or we are expanding our team, we diligently post the position and dive into the hiring process. In a recent post, I wrote about the need to take a breath from time to time. This is one of those moments.
Everyone has made ‘bad hires’ at some point in their career. The person seemed to match the requirements, their temperament seemed to align with the company culture, and the references seemed enthusiastic, but something went wrong. In the aftermath, it is important to try to figure out exactly where the process failed. This is a moment to reflect on the “should have, could have, would have” questions to help improve the hiring process next time. Often, when we look back, there were holes in our job specification, or subtle warning signs about the candidate that we overlooked in our zeal to fill the role. We have to be able to recognize the signs and be willing to act on them. Even if it is in the final stages of the hiring process, do not be afraid to pull the plug on a candidate if something feels off.
One of my favorite books on managing employees is ‘Topgrading’ by Brad Smart. The premise is that we can divide employees into A, B, or C rankings. We would move heaven and earth to hire and/or retain an A. We want to retain B’s, but our goal is to move them to become A’s. Lastly, C’s need to move up or out. An A player is the best person you can hire in a specific job, for a specific company, for a specific salary, and working for a specific manager. All of those specifics make it clear that the best person in the world is not necessarily available as an A for every position in every company. For example, a high school basketball coach would love to have LeBron James on the team, but LeBron would not play for a high school, he will not play for free, and he will not play for a high school coach, so even though he is a great player, he would not be an A candidate for a high school team. When you define an A with all of the specifics, it narrows the field. Smart suggests that everyone can be an A player in some role, but it just might not be one they want. Someone may be better suited to a smaller job that has fewer responsibilities and pays less, but where they can in fact be an A. Their ego often tells them they would rather turn down the offer or leave the company than take the smaller role. The book is a challenging read, but full of great guidance.
The dilemma, however, is that as the team grows, it inevitably moves toward being average. When you only have a few employees, they can all be special and great. But, on average, larger teams are average. If we score employees on a 1 - 10 scale, where 10 is the best, as the team grows, we will likely end up with a team that averages 5. There will be some super stars and some duds, and a lot of people in the middle. The problem for a hiring manager is how to spot a candidate that will be above a 5, while the odds are you will find a lot of candidates that are 5 or lower. This is particularly challenging when we think about replacing an existing employee. If the current employee is a middle of the road 5, performing as a solid B with little chance that they will move up to be an A, then replacing them in search of an A is pretty scary. You could easily do worse. This is what leads managers to the “warm body syndrome.” They have a warm body in the role, doing some of the job well, so isn’t that better than having an empty seat and taking the risk that we hire a dud to fill it?
My advice is always to strive to fill every seat with A players. Do not be afraid to seek the best and the brightest, and never fall victim to the warm body syndrome. Assume that every hire will improve your average and lead to further success. Easier said than done, but the key is to focus on becoming a great hiring machine. As a friend of mine used to say “you have to kiss a lot of frogs before one turns out to be a prince or princess.” The hiring process takes time. Hence, the need to take a breath before diving into the frenzy to fill a position. Consider all of the characteristics that will make a successful hire. Experience and track record are important, but so is cultural fit and enthusiasm for the job and the company. Look at each of the elements that define who can be an A player for your company, and use them as a candidate screen. It takes a village to make a great hire, so engage others in the selection process, but do so with purpose. There is little value in having the same interview conducted over and over by different participants in the process. Each participant should be tasked with specific criteria to evaluate the candidates. Curate your hiring team to have different points of view. I suggest crossing department lines and organizational levels. Give each participant a formal scorecard to rate the candidates on consistent and meaningful criteria. Pay attention to the soft measures. If a participant has a “feeling” about a candidate, take it seriously and create a path to explore it further. We often undervalue the cultural fit element of hiring, but that is typically where an otherwise qualified candidate will eventually fail. Above all else, do not be rushed. If the candidate wants the job, they will follow your process and appreciate your thoroughness. If they have other offers, so be it. Better to lose a candidate than be rushed to make a bad hire.
Lastly, pay attention to hiring managers’ track record of making good hires or duds. If a manager is consistently hiring and then firing, the problem may be with the manager. Something about their process, or their leadership is resulting in the repeating pattern. They probably need some help. A-quality managers tend to be very good at hiring A-level talent and nurturing them to become great contributors. Invest in your A players.