People generate the most value and are your greatest asset when running a business. Our society runs on knowledge and information. We are not a bunch of cogs lined up to push metal through a machine in order to output something better on the other side. Even these types of jobs now require knowledge to operate these intricate computers and technology.
Did you know that the unemployment rate for college educated individuals is less than 5%? Compare that to the average unemployment rate of 9-10% or the 14% or more unemployment rate for those with a high school education or less. Today’s economy needs knowledgeable workers, and they are a rare find. We are searching for knowledgeable workers to fill roles in software architecture, business analysis, and software solution sales and have discovered they are not easy positions to fill.
We utilize a 13-step process, which includes a three hour CIDS interview from Topgrading. CIDS stands for Chronological In-Depth Structured interview and looks at a candidate’s history starting from his or her education and going through each job position, identifying highs and lows along with strengths and weaknesses. This gets to the meat of what a person was hired to accomplish and how they do in that role as confirmed by the person to whom they report.
Even with this detailed process, we don’t always get it right. Like software, people are very complex and don’t necessarily gel well together. Getting it right from a technical perspective may not mean we have it right from a cultural perspective. I hear war stories and have even experienced it myself. When business cultures clash, all parties involved suffer.
As a leader, I must stay focused and be willing to endure because I believe the most important role of the leader is to bring the right team together. As Jim Collins says in Good to Great, “Get the right people on the bus, and then with the right people figure out where you are going.”
What do you do to make sure you have the right people on the bus?