As hiring has become more scientific over the years, the job description has assumed greater importance. But in an era of constant change, does it make sense for managers to be fixated on what might be only the first step in a career in the company?
Instead, it’s preferable to have a handy list of soft skills that might signal excellence in any post. And a place to start might be the 12 qualities executive recruiter William Vanderbloemen has found in standouts he has helped hire. “We aren’t asked to ‘fill staff positions.’ We are asked to find the next superstar for our clients,” he writes in Be the Unicorn.
Simply being in the presence of a unicorn is supposed to mean good fortune for all, he says. In the 30,000 employment interviews his company has carried out, some people have stood out as unicorns. Digging deeper to find out what made them special, he came up with these attributes: Fast, authentic, agile, problem solvers, anticipators, prepared, self-aware, curious, connected, likeable, productive and purpose-driven.
None of those are hugely surprising, of course. But if you think of top performers in your organization, no doubt many of those qualities shine through. And if you think of low performers, perhaps an extra dose of some of those qualities would help them be more effective.
He tackles purpose-driven last in his book, but when he asked unicorns what they felt their dominant trait was, 11.3 per cent – roughly double the level for most of the other traits – chose this: “For them, being purpose-driven is a way of life,” he says.
The key in hiring is to make sure their purpose and yours line up. Otherwise, there could be an unfortunate clash or at the minimum the person won’t be performing on all cylinders. That means understanding your own purpose and being able to test candidates to see if it’s genuinely what drives them. Purpose comes from within and can’t be externally generated, he notes.
Leadership development consultant Sheila Norris recently wrote on LinkedIn about the need for more deliberation about speed: “I have noticed that when a problem or opportunity presents itself, we often rush to action. I think that sometimes we rush without carefully assessing, in a mindful way, what the necessary conditions are for us to be successful.” She is concerned about external factors being in place but also state of mind – personal readiness for what is coming, or belief in ourselves or the direction.
Mr. Vanderbloemen ironically recommends you read his book slowly. But he includes a paean to speed: “We live in a time of on-demand everything. If we ourselves are not on-demand in some capacity as well, we lose. We lose opportunities to achieve more and be more. Response time matters.”
If fast is combined with two adjacent traits Mr. Vanderbloemen highlights – anticipatory and agile – they would surpass purpose in terms of what dominates his unicorns. Some people can see what’s coming next and are better anticipators. They spend extra time preparing before big events. They think through what the boss will need even before the boss raises an issue. They can be golden.
The term Agile drew a lot of attention in the pandemic. It’s essentially flexibility and Mr. Vanderbloemen warns every day we are alive we become less flexible, so agility of mind and spirit is an asset.
He uses a line from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to argue its importance will continue, which suggests change is moving faster than ever but will never move this slowly again.
He points to financier Warren Buffett’s down-home authenticity as a secret to his success, comparing it to the many fly-by-night companies that have talked a good game but ultimately weren’t worth much. Authenticity isn’t perfection, he notes, but we crave it in people we deal with.
He makes a strong case for hiring positive problem solvers: “When faced with challenges, people can either choose to be on the problem side of the equation or the solution side. Those who choose to find solutions, who refuse to be victims, and who spend energy moving past those challenges are irreplaceable.”
Scouts are taught to be prepared and he argues this mindset is vital in people we hire. In an age where emotional intelligence has proved critical, you want self-aware new hires. But they also should be curious about what’s around them. “Curiosity doesn’t make the world go round, but it’s why we know what does,” he says. And he rounds it out with the importance of people being connected – having strong relationships with other people whose help they can call upon – and being likeable.
Reading his list, hopefully you were developing one of your own. But beyond a list, you need to think through how to find each quality in people – what in their resume, past actions and questions to them and references might help you hire superstars.
Cannonballs
- The most neglected part of ESG – the handy acronym for the environmental, social and governance aspects of a corporation some investors look for – is social, according to Beth Bovis, who leads the consulting firm Kearney’s sustainability practice in the Americas. A survey by the firm found fewer than half the companies measure the economic impact of their social projects. She suggests aligning your social program with your corporate strategy, so it seems natural to be doing these efforts.
- If the key to building a strong customer bond is trust, what creates trust? Ottawa consultant Shaun Belding says three things: Caring, competence and integrity.
- Removing words from job ads that emphasize characteristics more commonly seen in men – confident, strong, outspoken and entrepreneurial, for example – not only increases applications from women but also among men who are less rigidly tied to stereotypical male attributes, new research finds.
Harvey Schachter is a Kingston-based writer specializing in management issues. He, along with Sheelagh Whittaker, former CEO of both EDS Canada and Cancom, are the authors of When Harvey Didn’t Meet Sheelagh: Emails on Leadership.