I learned a long time ago, back when I was still working for my former employer, whom we affectionately and respectfully called Chief, that people are not just part of an organization, they are the organization. Although I’m not an HR manager and we have a regional HR team in our organization, I have personally been selecting people for hiring for many years. This is at the request of the company owner.
Of course, I respect the work of HR managers and believe that their methods deliver excellent results, but I have been doing it my own way for years, and this personal approach gives me the clearest insight into the people I choose.
I don’t use HR aptitude tests that most organizations typically apply. My tool to assess a person before making a decision is the good old-fashioned conversation. I don’t ask candidates where they see themselves in five years, because I often don’t know where I’ll be tomorrow, let alone in five years. I want to hear what they love, what they do, and why they are here, sitting across from me in my office. It may be a bit tedious, but it means a lot to me, because I truly see the person in front of me. I see and feel what a piece of paper cannot tell. And we all know that paper can conceal a lot.
Although character, knowledge, and skills are high on my list when evaluating candidates, what matters to me personally is the feeling I get from that person at that moment. That feeling leads me to the questions and answers: Will they fit into the existing team? Will it really work? Because without a functional and harmonious team, there is no good organization.
Organizational culture is often neglected in many companies. By strengthening people, we strengthen organizational culture. Without it, plans and strategies are pointless, because there’s no one to implement them. Yes, to paraphrase Mark Fields: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Without the right organizational culture, even the best strategy is doomed to fail. If culture does not support the strategy, people will not carry out plans as intended. A good strategy on paper means nothing if employees do not feel it is “theirs,” or if the culture resists change. If the culture does not value people and their contributions, motivation declines, and even the best strategy fails.
Many companies view people solely as a cost rather than an investment. Such companies struggle with high turnover, as people do not want to stay in such an environment. People want autonomy; they want to be recognized and visible in their organizations. People are the foundation of every organization’s success.
And if we go back to the beginning of the story, do I make mistakes in hiring? Of course. But I also hit the mark, and more often than I miss. I choose people with heart, because I believe that people are the heart, the drivers, and the carriers of value. And if we recognize them, listen to them, and nurture them, the organization not only survives, it thrives, and so do we, alongside them.
#Leadership #ReflectiveLeadership #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalGrowth
#TeamDevelopment #TalentManagement #HighPotential #TallPoppies
#OrganizationalCulture #StrategicThinking #Cultureeatsstrategyforbreakfast #MarkFields