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Hiring Talent – Print Version Now Available

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Hiring Talent

Based on my classroom course and based on my online program, Hiring Talent is now available in softcover and for download in the Kindle store. This pre-release softcover edition is available NOW from the CreateSpace store. Will populate to Amazon early next week.

This is the only book on hiring that blends the research on levels of work with the discipline of behavioral interviewing. Every role has a level of decision making, a level of problem solving. That level of work is measurable. The research on levels of work, pioneered by the late Dr. Elliott Jaques, is powerful science. The discipline of behavioral interviewing is the most effective method for its application. This is the only book that puts these two ideas together in a practical framework for managers faced with the hiring decision.

Who Creates the Talent Pool?

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“In the midst of everything I have to do, with all of my management issues and motivation issues, you expect me to read resumes,” Byron was putting his foot down. “I am a Vice-President in this company. I have other people that read resumes for me.”

I did not respond, just raised an eyebrow. I could see the exasperation on Byron’s face.

“So, just exactly what do I do?” asked Byron. “I mean, I know what to do when I need to hire a manager on my team, but to hire a supervisor on one of my manager’s teams?”

“You won’t make the final selection, but I do hold you accountable for driving this process. Logistically, here is what it looks like. Your division has an opening two strata below you. As the manager-once-removed, it is your accountability to create the talent pool from which the hiring manager will select. Creating the talent pool means that you drive this process. Every morning, when you are fresh, I expect you to come in and spend a half hour to forty five minutes reviewing resumes. That’s every day, whether you have an opening in your division, or not. I expect that each day, you will find two or three resumes that you will find interesting. I expect you to make two or three screening phone calls every day. Once or twice a week, I expect you will actually run across a candidate. If you find only one per week, that is fifty people per year that you might bring in to interview for a supervisor level position.”

“But we have never had fifty people that qualified,” Byron continued to push back.

“Is that the truth, or is that something you believe to be true?”
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Hiring Talent, the print version, will be available from Amazon within the week, so we have a new cover. This link is for the Kindle version, available now.
Hiring Talent

Who Builds the Talent Pool?

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Orientation for our next Hiring Talent online program starts next Monday. For more information or pre-registration, follow this link Hiring Talent – 2013.
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Byron was a bit unsettled. “Do you mean that I should read those resumes? I’m not the hiring manager,” he stated flatly.

“No, and we already established that the level of work of the hiring manager is too close to the level of work of the new position. The hiring manager is threatened by this new hire and does not have enough perspective to see the correct talent pool. That is why this step in the process is up to you.”

“But, I am not the hiring manager,” he continued to protest.

“No, you are the manager-once-removed. Are you threatened by this hire?” I asked.

“Well, no, this position is two levels of work down from me.”

“Exactly, and do you have better perspective on what is really required for success in this position?”

Byron nodded. “But reading resumes. I don’t have time to read resumes and this is not my hire.”

“I am not asking you to make the hire. That is still Ron’s job. Your role in the hiring process, as the manager-once-removed, is to create the talent pool. You create the talent pool of qualified candidates. Ron makes the hire from the pool.”
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Just released on Kindle. The only book on hiring that blends the research on levels of work with the discipline of behavioral interviewing. The research on levels of work, pioneered by the late Elliott Jaques, is powerful science. The discipline of behavioral interviewing is the most effective method for its application. This is the only book that puts these two ideas together in a practical framework for managers faced with the hiring decision.
Hiring Talent

Who Drives This Decision?

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Orientation for our next Hiring Talent online program starts next Monday. For more information or pre-registration, follow this link Hiring Talent – 2013.
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Ron settled in a chair across from Byron, his manager. We exchanged appropriate pleasantries and set the context for a conversation about the candidate pool for a new position. Byron finally drilled in.

“Ron, you know I don’t think these three candidates are qualified for the position. But you said these were the only ones who fit our budget.”

“Yep, I know things are tight around here, and figured I could save the company some money, bring in one of these people. I could show them the ropes, take them in under my wing and everything would be fine.”

“Were there other candidates that were too expensive for us?” I asked.

“Sure, we had seven other resumes, but they were no bargain. We would have to pay full boat for any of them.”

I thanked Ron for his time and he left Byron and I to debrief.

“Byron, I don’t know, but my guess is that there are seven resumes of candidates that we need to look at. So, tell me, why do you think Ron is having difficulty with this hire, looking at the wrong talent pool of people?”

Byron was troubled, but the fog was lifting. “I think Ron was threatened by those resumes that he described as too expensive. You are right. Some of the salary requirements are close to what Ron is making. And I don’t think Ron has enough perspective to truly understand what will be required in this supervisor position.”

“Byron, let me recap. This whole process started at the bottom with Irene, the receptionist, who first sorted the resumes, through another supervisor, who screened the resumes and finally to Ron, the hiring manager. None are making good decisions in this selection process.

“So, who should be driving this?” I continued, “Who is left? Who understands what is truly required and is not threatened by this hire?”

“Do you mean, me?” Byron asked.

I nodded affirmative. “You are Ron’s manager, the manager-once-removed for this role.”
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Just released on Kindle. The only book on hiring that blends the research on levels of work with the discipline of behavioral interviewing. The research on levels of work, pioneered by the late Elliott Jaques, is powerful science. The discipline of behavioral interviewing is the most effective method for its application. This is the only book that puts these two ideas together in a practical framework for managers faced with the hiring decision.
Hiring Talent

Who Makes the Screening Decision?

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“So, Byron, tell me again. Irene, your receptionist prints out all the resumes from the job posting. She puts them in two stacks, one out-of-town, one local, checks for two years experience and then delivers them to one of your supervisors.” I was looking at the way Byron was handling resumes for an open position. He was bit dismayed at the lack of quality candidates.

“Yes, the supervisor has been with us for almost two years, so he knows the job and can cull out the unqualified resumes. Then he takes the good ones to the hiring manager. It works pretty well. That way the hiring manager doesn’t have to waste his time,” added Byron.

“You said it works pretty well at saving time for the hiring manager, but it culls out all the quality candidates.” I was baiting Byron.

Byron’s face suddenly flushed. “That’s not what I said. I said there weren’t any quality candidates out there.”

“But you said you culled out the under qualified candidates and the overqualified candidates. Who do you have making those initial decisions?”

Byron could see that I was troubled by the way resumes were initially reviewed. He wanted to respond more positively, but the reality was setting in. “I guess I have my receptionist and a lower level supervisor making those decisions,” he finally replied.

“Should we look at a different approach?”
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Just released on Kindle. The only book on hiring that blends the research on levels of work with the discipline of behavioral interviewing. The research on levels of work, pioneered by the late Elliott Jaques, is powerful science. The discipline of behavioral interviewing is the most effective method for its application. This is the only book that puts these two ideas together in a practical framework for managers faced with the hiring decision.
Hiring Talent

Grooved Habits

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“Where we drop the ball is follow-up.” Nathan shook his head from side to side. “We are pretty good at setting goals, but as soon as we’re done with that, life goes on and we forget all the hard work and time we spent planning.”

“What habits do you need to create,” I asked.

“What do you mean?” Nathan looked puzzled.

“Follow-up is not just a ball that gets dropped. As a management skill, it is a way of life. I always look for habits. What are you not doing as a routine that stops you from following up?”

It was like a smack in the forehead with a beer can. “I see where you are going with this,” Nathan said, still shaking his head. “We usually have a short huddle meeting every Friday to follow-up on the promises we made to ourselves. Ever since the holidays crept up, we just stopped having the meetings.”

“What’s on your schedule this Friday?” I quizzed.

Nathan was quick to respond, “I think we should have our regular Friday huddle meeting.”

Sometimes effectiveness has nothing to do with being brilliant, but only in continuing to do the things that work.
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Hiring Talent 2013 kicks off on January 25. Pre-registration is open now.

Spot the Pattern

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Raymond still looked puzzled. I think I had him talked out of playing amateur psychologist when interviewing candidates, but asking him to play to his strength as a manager was still fuzzy.

“Look, Raymond. As a manager, you can spot positive behavior and negative behavior on the shop floor. As a manager, you are an expert in positive and negative behavior. That’s the key. All you have to do is ask questions about situations in their prior work experience.

  • What was the task?
  • What was the action they took (their behavior)?
  • What was the result?

The actions they took will tell you how they will behave when they come to work for you.”

Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. All you have to do is find out what it was.

Supervisor vs Manager

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From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:
Can you more clearly define the role of a Supervisor versus that of a Manager?

Response:
It can be confusing to nail down what one company defines as a Supervisor vs what another company defines as a Manager. Part of the problem talking about management issues, we don’t have a precise language. We talk using one set of words and others listen using another set.

Elliott Jaques (Requisite Organization) provides helpful direction by specifically describing and measuring the level of work using Time Span.

When I talk about the role of a Supervisor, I am looking for longest Time Span task assignments that can reasonably be completed between 3-12 months. The activities I would describe for that role are coordinating in nature, scheduling people, materials and equipment, tracking progress toward project milestones, solving logistical problems, using discretionary judgment within limits set by their manager. The value add of this role is accuracy, completeness and timeliness.

When I talk about the role of a Manager, I am looking for longest Time Span task assignments that can reasonably be completed between 12-24 months. The activities I describe for that role are planning, sequencing, system creation, system monitoring and system improvement. The latitude of their discretionary judgment is broader (also defined using Time Span). The value add of this role is consistency and predictability of results (achieved by systems).

Nature or Nurture?

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From the Ask Tom Mailbag:

Question:
When you talk about Time Span, you say you use Time Span as a measure of capability. Is Time Span something we are born with? Can it be changed? In other words, is it nature, or nurture?

Response:
Is it nature or nurture? Yes.

There are really two related issues. One issue is Maximum Capability, the other is Applied Capability.

Maximum Capability is what it is. Nature. Cannot be changed. Full potential. The problem with Maximum Capability is that it is difficult, nigh impossible to identify. We can’t see it.

What we can see, is Applied Capability. Why can we see it? There is evidence, work product, observation of behaviors, completion of tasks and judgments of effectiveness. We can see Applied Capability. And yes, there is almost always a difference between Applied Capability and Maximum Capability. We rarely work at our full potential.

Can we, as managers, have an impact on Applied Capability? To influence a person to work to their full potential, to their Maximum Capability? Yes.

There are several reasons that a person may work below their Maximum Capability. They may not have a required skill. As their manager, we might send that person to training. What happens to Applied Capability when a person now possesses the skill? It goes up.

This team member, having completed the training, may decide to go back to school. What happens to Applied Capability when a person engages in educational activity? It likely goes up.

As the manager, you place the team member in a role, with work on which they place a high value, work for which they have interest, passion. What happens to Applied Capability?

This interest in Maximum Capability is often a fruitless quest. We can’t see it, so what’s the point? But, we, as managers can have a dramatic impact on Applied Capability. That’s where I spend my time.

Happy or Miserable

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From the Ask Tom Mailbag:

Question:
When you talk about the role of the Manager Once Removed in the hiring process, you are right, it sounds like a lot of work. I am afraid I will get push-back from my management team, when I try to tell them they will have to be more involved in the hiring process.

Response:
I am not afraid you will get push-back. I know you will get push-back.

Most MORs tell me they are too busy to work with their Hiring Managers on mundane things like role descriptions, that is beneath them to do first pass on resumes. They tell me they are too busy with management issues and motivation issues.

My response is, “What more important thing do you have than to build the infrastructure of your team?”

The reason most MORs are so busy with their management issues is that they did a poor job of this in the first place, or rather, they allowed a poor hiring decision to be made by the Hiring Manager. MORs who do a good job of this will have wonderful lives as managers. MORs who do a poor job of this will be miserable for a very long time.