Last Updated on February 28, 2025 by Dave Schoenbeck
Every business owner wants to hire and develop the best rock star talent, but the methodology leaders use to recognize talent is not always based on fact. Instead, hiring managers hire candidates based on specific criteria, not realizing they’re not making an unbiased decision.
The Problem with Identifying Leaders in the Workplace
If you want to hire and develop the best talent now, the first step is recognizing how unconscious bias can creep into your hiring process. Here are 5 common approaches you might be taking and reasons to change them.
- “Who is the least expensive?” If you’re looking for the cheapest candidate, beware. Hiring an employee for the lowest possible salary now might not bring about the highest return over a couple of years or a long career. It’s more worthwhile to pay a higher rate for a high performer who can do more for your business in the long term.
- “Who is available the soonest?” It’s common for a candidate to need two weeks at the very minimum before they can start, sometimes more. Think of it this way: if a candidate makes you wait two weeks or even a month while they finish their previous position, that shows integrity. It’s worth waiting a few extra weeks or months for the best possible hire.
- “Who is most like me?” Managers tend to hire people with similar personalities, job histories, and life experiences. However, the best hires are usually the candidates who challenge the team, and sometimes, that’s not what you might expect or prefer. We don’t want everyone to be the same because “yes, people” won’t challenge our way of thinking.
- “Who does the organization expect to be promoted from within?” It is hard to fight the tide of your colleague’s preferences, but choosing a candidate just because there’s pressure from your coworkers won’t guarantee that the best person is selected for the job. You want to hire and develop the best talent now, even if that person is new to the rest of your organization.
- “Who will fit the job specs today?” The people you employ today may not be those with the best skills and potential when the business grows. We tend to hire for today’s budget and job description, not the critical thinking skills needed to manage a big team, branch, or division. You want a candidate who can grow with your business.
Developing Organizational Talent that Lasts
You can’t trust your gut instinct to hire and develop the best talent now. I firmly believe we should use assessment tools to assist in hiring decisions. Science can help us supplement a candidate’s interview and job history, resulting in a much less biased hiring decision.
Use assessment tools to measure a potential employee’s skills and smarts in a way that you can’t do through an interview alone. In addition, scoring candidates on an assessment can help you get a clearer view of the playing field.
Consider implementing assessment tools into your hiring process if you don’t have one. Your bottom line will thank you.
Would you like to talk more about your hiring strategy? If you want to hire and develop the best talent now, fill out my contact form for a complimentary coaching session. Let’s work on building organizational skills in your business.
Coach Dave
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