"Gut-Decisions" Require "Gut-Health"

When it comes to the acquisition of excellent and sustainable talent - I consistently ask myself, hiring managers, talent acquisition practitioners, human resources professionals, and leaders, this primary question: "How do you put yourself in check and hold yourself accountable when making an unbiased and accurate hiring decision?"

"The Gut" seems to be an excellent place to start. "I use my gut! It's never failed me." When I hear a colleague make this famous statement, my response is always, "How are you measuring the outcomes of your "gut-decision"?" There are medical facts and sciences to consider no matter the "claire voyant-sy" we believe our guts to be. As I break down the construction of this "gut" statement, the rather snide part of me wants to inquire further. "So, you use your gut, huh? When was the last time you had a decent bowel movement?"

This article from Johns Hopkins can help identify the little brain in our gut that scientists refer to as "The Enteric Nervous System (ENS)." This system doesn't seem capable of thought as we know it, but it communicates with profound results back and forth with our big brain.?

Research and studies seem to suggest that digestive-system activity may affect cognition. There is also the link between anxiety and depression associated with our overall gut health. Therefore, how can a decision-maker be trusted to make the most unbiased and accurate hiring decision if they aren't treating their gut, their "little brain (ENS) decision-maker," with proper nutrition and stress reduction practices??

How often have we been in an interview where the hiring manager seems so bound-up after feasting on a holiday cheese ball the day before? Perhaps we've gorged or drunk ourselves silly during yesterday's game day activities? No judgment - just stating what we already know to be true. I can remember in boot camp when trainees weren't able to have a decent bowel movement for almost two weeks. Can you imagine trying to make a decision during those two highly intense and stressful weeks with pain-free clarity??

Does this pre-interview practice seem fair to a candidate who is already suffering through the nerves of their gut-brain??

"Clinton Shane! What about "Fight or Flight?" Yes, there is the response of our Central Nervous System when it has been triggered (Cleveland Clinic: Gut-Brain Connection). During this time, our digestive system will slow down, or even stop, until the dire circumstances pass. Are you feeling threatened or triggered during the interview with this particular candidate? If so, why??

To be an organization investing entirely into an inclusive culture, one might ask themselves: "Is my gut, my little brain, in alignment with my overall health and decision-making center?"

?? Clinton Shane | [email protected] | www.bsgconsulting.org