How to align your employees and your culture
May 23, 2016, 7:10am EDT
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Mis-hires most often occur because we aren’t digging down to the core of matching the person (not just the employee) to the organization (not just the job.)
Time and time again I hear CEOs and company leaders grumble about their staff — high turnover rates, new employees who “just don’t get it” and current employees who are only “so-so.”
An organization’s people are its most valuable asset. Who they are and what they are committed to will make or break an organization’s success.
Consider the current challenges with people in your own organization. Are they lacking the technical skills you needed? Or is there a gap in the cultural fit? If alignment with the culture is the problem, keep reading.
See Also
- How to make work more meaningful (and fun)
- 5 reasons tough conversations go from bad to worse (and how to fix it)
- How to use candor for more success
Building the team
Mis-hires most often occur because we aren’t digging down to the core of matching the person (not just the employee) to the organization (not just the job.)
During recruitment, interviews and on-boarding, ask yourself if you are:
- Direct about the organization’s goals and expectations, mission and values
- Focused on who they are as much as you’re focused on what they can do
- Selecting people for an immediate role only, or considering their potential for success within the whole team
- Temporarily hiring candidates to come aboard for a day or week for an on-the-job trial period
- Speaking with the best references you can find, or simply connecting with those the candidate suggests
- Considering “conscientiousness” as a predictor for job candidate success, and, figuring out how you will determine that or other key cultural strengths early in the interview
Growing their capacity
The team-building process doesn’t stop once someone is hired; then it becomes an effort to refine and cultivate the greatest collaborative community. Consider the answers to these questions:
- Is someone who was right for the job in the past still good for the job as it is needed for the future?
- Does each employee have the potential to learn and to lead?
- Would I enthusiastically rehire each member of my team?
If the answers are “yes,” leaders must foster their potential and encourage growth. If the answers are “no,” and they are no longer coachable, move swiftly. An employee who is missing the capacity to learn and lead isn’t living your company’s core values or who no longer suits the direction of the business isn't alone in their lack of growth. They are thwarting the success of your organization.
Be candid about where you want your organization to go and who it will take to get there. Expect people — from candidates, to your existing team, and including yourself — to be honest and direct about who they are, what they want, and how, collectively, you’re going to make it happen.
Nancy Eberhardt
Contributing Writer