The last time you recruited a bunch of
people, you did everything by the book. You chose a great recruitment company
to supply the resumes, you thought deeply about your job descriptions, you made
sure the management team allocated time to the process and you checked out the candidates'
references. It should have worked. And yet all those bright, switched-on people
who wowed you at the interview are now walking around with their eyes
half-closed and spending too much time at the water cooler.
people, you did everything by the book. You chose a great recruitment company
to supply the resumes, you thought deeply about your job descriptions, you made
sure the management team allocated time to the process and you checked out the candidates'
references. It should have worked. And yet all those bright, switched-on people
who wowed you at the interview are now walking around with their eyes
half-closed and spending too much time at the water cooler.
I've been hoodwinked again, you're
thinking, I must be so naive.
thinking, I must be so naive.
Well take a deep breath and a glass of self-confidence.
Because it ain't so.
Because it ain't so.
Those ambitious, bubbly workers you hired
are still as ambitious as they were on the day they signed. They still want to
change the world. Or at least make their mark on your team.
are still as ambitious as they were on the day they signed. They still want to
change the world. Or at least make their mark on your team.
But it's true that they're frustrated. And
it's not because of anything you've done wrong. It's because nobody knew how to
read their talent and make sure that it was put to use.
it's not because of anything you've done wrong. It's because nobody knew how to
read their talent and make sure that it was put to use.
But, I hear you say, you've looked at all
of their skills and experience and ensured a close match with the role
requirements. Isn't that the same thing?
of their skills and experience and ensured a close match with the role
requirements. Isn't that the same thing?
Not exactly, according to science.
It seems that, when it comes to complicated
stuff like career, life goals and 'being all that we can be' our minds work on
two principal levels. The top level is our skills and experience. This is very
important. But it's a layer that is typically accumulated from the late teen
years onwards. The skills and experience layer usually begins in college and we
continue to add to it throughout our career. We think it's deep but actually
it's fairly superficial.
stuff like career, life goals and 'being all that we can be' our minds work on
two principal levels. The top level is our skills and experience. This is very
important. But it's a layer that is typically accumulated from the late teen
years onwards. The skills and experience layer usually begins in college and we
continue to add to it throughout our career. We think it's deep but actually
it's fairly superficial.
Beneath the skills layer is another layer
that is far more fundamental to our being. This layer is made of our natural
strengths and talents. It's our mind's DNA. This layer causes us to use phrases
like 'discovering my purpose'. But it's so deep-seated within us that it's like
the Earth's tectonic plates - they formed the planet as we know it but they're
completely invisible to the eye.
that is far more fundamental to our being. This layer is made of our natural
strengths and talents. It's our mind's DNA. This layer causes us to use phrases
like 'discovering my purpose'. But it's so deep-seated within us that it's like
the Earth's tectonic plates - they formed the planet as we know it but they're
completely invisible to the eye.
What has happened with your team is that,
when they joined you, they hoped that this would be the place where they could
find contentment and put their talents to use. Instead they were asked to put
their skills to use. And that's a different thing.
when they joined you, they hoped that this would be the place where they could
find contentment and put their talents to use. Instead they were asked to put
their skills to use. And that's a different thing.
All is not lost - you can fix the problem
without losing anyone.
without losing anyone.
Other firms have faced this problem before.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)*, for example. They found many employees were
doing the wrong job for their talent. When they fixed it by reorganizing their
teams, they found that employee engagement soared as a result.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)*, for example. They found many employees were
doing the wrong job for their talent. When they fixed it by reorganizing their
teams, they found that employee engagement soared as a result.
"Method Teaming provided a valuable
and powerful insight to ensure the right people were 'on the bus' and even
had the 'CORRECT seats on the bus' for the success
of the organization but as important for their individual
success and happiness in their careers." Bret Perkins,
Director, Technology Services, HPE
and powerful insight to ensure the right people were 'on the bus' and even
had the 'CORRECT seats on the bus' for the success
of the organization but as important for their individual
success and happiness in their careers." Bret Perkins,
Director, Technology Services, HPE
The answer lies in recognising that your
employees are still the superstars you always thought they were. They are
simply playing out of position. Teaming science is a new human science,
developed in businesses, that can precisely identify the natural strengths and
talents of all your staff. It can also pinpoint the exact role where those
talents want to be harnessed and put to work. When that happens you find that
you suddenly have a mission-perfect team. All the members of the team know both
their own and each other's natural strengths. They know where they fit
individually and they know how to get the best from each other. They are like
the gears in a machine, effortlessly interlocking with other gears for greatest
efficiency; both doing their own work and maximising the capabilities of the
entire engine.
employees are still the superstars you always thought they were. They are
simply playing out of position. Teaming science is a new human science,
developed in businesses, that can precisely identify the natural strengths and
talents of all your staff. It can also pinpoint the exact role where those
talents want to be harnessed and put to work. When that happens you find that
you suddenly have a mission-perfect team. All the members of the team know both
their own and each other's natural strengths. They know where they fit
individually and they know how to get the best from each other. They are like
the gears in a machine, effortlessly interlocking with other gears for greatest
efficiency; both doing their own work and maximising the capabilities of the
entire engine.
When you put people into the position where
they can use their natural talent you've helped them find their purpose. That's
when mediocrity disappears and all of your superstars shine the way they were
always supposed to. That's talent management worth the name.
they can use their natural talent you've helped them find their purpose. That's
when mediocrity disappears and all of your superstars shine the way they were
always supposed to. That's talent management worth the name.