How to Hire Talent for The Long Run

In total, the marathon is 27 miles. You know it’s going to be a rough road ahead. The butterflies start to flutter as the anxiety begins to build. You’ve painstakingly prepared for this moment for years, you’ve put in the blood, the sweat and the tears – and then the gun sounds.

A marathon is symbolic of search, it’s a grueling task with one sole objective in mind, but what I want to discuss today is what it takes to cross that finish line with your integrity intact; and the confidence in knowing that you have not only put in the work necessary to achieve that objective, but are willing to go the last mile and take a strong position to ensure that the company is making the right choice. 

I can rightly say that in search, it’s all about how you choose to effectively channel your anxiety and adrenaline so that the “means justifies the end.” READ THAT AGAIN. That anxiety is real for many (rightly all regardless of level inside a company) and fueled by a multiplicity of factors - many beyond one’s control as this business is all about understanding people and their choices which are in a state of constant flux. The key is how you measure for that future value and within that process, move “ones” perspective from a heightened apprehension (or buyers’ remorse at the decision stage), to a greater understanding and confidence that the right choice is being made. I am a firm believer there is never a perfect answer, however, we can significantly increase the possibilities of the best outcome for “the long run,” which may require intermittent sprints and a healthy degree of endurance. Not only do I believe, it’s the level we have performed to for almost 30 years.

While experiences may vary, if you're truly honest with yourself, you’ll silently acknowledge that in our space there is an abundance of yes men out there, and a stark lack of those with professional conviction. Allow me to elaborate. Quite often, firms present candidates and place the onus on corporate leadership to select the professional that they deem ideal for the position. The firm’s representative eagerly agrees with the choice and the deal is done. But was that the ideal candidate, and if not, would they have the backbone to voice a view that was in opposition to that of the client if it meant looking out for their best interests or, would they remain silent in fear of losing business? It may all depend on if they actually ran the entire 27 miles.  

Many firms are database driven and rely primarily on their existing network to source talent, which is the equivalent of jumping out of the crowd and into the race with only three miles left to go. After all, what knowledge is truly being accrued or applied in that process to your benefit? While it may sound good on paper that they will call someone right away, is this instead “short circuiting” the system and taking away a competitive advantage to be gained? Even more, effecting one’s confidence level? We believe so, and I implore you to think about that. Without doing what was necessary to prepare for the race, it begs the question if they would even possess the intimate knowledge of the candidate necessary to make that assessment and recommendation? As we all know, details matter.

Case and point

At Purdue University, there were four students taking chemistry and all of them had an 'A' grade average. The four friends were so confident that the weekend before finals, they decided to go to Chicago, visit some friends and have a big party. They had a great time, but after all the partying, they slept all day Sunday and didn't make it back to the campus until too late Monday morning to take their tests.

Since they missed the test, they decided they would explain to the professor why they were not there to take their tests. They told him they had visited friends, but on the way back to W. Lafayette, they had a flat tire and found there was no spare in the car. As a result, they missed their finals. The Professor agreed they could make up the final the next day. The guys were excited and very much relieved. They all studied that night for their exams scheduled the following day.

The next day the Professor placed them in separate rooms and gave them a test booklet. They each quickly answered the first problem which was worth 5 points. They all felt a sense of relief. With each of them in separate rooms, they thought this was going to be easy. Then they turned the page…

On the second page was written; For 95 points, which tire went flat?

If they had truly done their homework, the last question wouldn’t have been an issue, much like holding a strong position on a candidate, but unfortunately, the decision that they ultimately made came back to bite them. When it comes to search, you want someone who will run 27 miles, not bow out at 26.2, because the last mile is the hardest and should reflect all of the work that was invested… or potentially not.

When you get down to it, the ability to assess talent may not be the holy grail of recruiting. INSTEAD, it’s the ability to lead the company to that final choice and enabling them to have conviction in that decision that is essential. This mainly comes from a confidence level one has in summing up details, which partially include: assimilating disparate data points, understanding complex intricacies in human behavior and tendencies, understanding future value contribution of the person sitting in front of you, or seeing into possibilities (the unknown), something only possible if you’ve gone there yourself and are comfortable being uncomfortable. How many can truly say that? The fact is, as I stated before, it’s in the details, which are a dynamic continuous journey of understanding that simply cannot be properly vetted with a great degree of confidence in the final mile or realistically be understood with a short investment of time.

Effort, or the lack there of, always has a way of showing its true colors at some point during the race. Quite often it is reflected when the search process is broken up via the intermingled parts of many search firms with “no one” holding the keys to the kingdom – THE BIG PICTURE! You can see somewhere around the 5-mile mark that the firm only trained a couple days a week, didn't stick to their diet regimen and have put forth about a 50% effort at best. Could this possibly be a factor as to why there are too many cooks in the interview process, leaving a great of doubt or consternation from a hiring leader... "have I made the best choice?" I have to say, it makes sense.

A bit of trivia

Just an interesting bit of trivia: 69-year-old Larry Macon holds the record for marathons run in a year with 239 in 2013, according to the Guinness World Records, that's 6,261.8 miles in only a 12-month period. We all know how he accomplished such a feat, and it is this type of dedication to an objective that we bring to the table each day.

If you are representing corporate leadership, I guess the question is, would you prefer a firm that is willing to go the last mile, who is willing to take a hard position and force a greater conversation by potentially disagreeing with your choice and provide you with the sound advice and insight necessary to make an informed decision or, do you prefer the strong silent type who is more apt to give you a 6 month replacement guarantee, in essence saying that if the candidate you hired doesn’t work out within 6 months that they will conduct the search again for free? Do companies honestly find value in this? I personally find it hard to believe. If anything, it’s an admission of an inferior product. “Yes, this is the best candidate for your position, but hey, if he doesn’t work out in the first 6 months, we’ll drag you through this process all over again, waste more of your time and provide you with the same level of exceptional service!” I don’t want to beat it into the dirt, but it just puzzles me.

I understand that making THE decision is incredibly difficult in the end, therefore we have always felt that it was our responsibility to take a strong position if we feel compelled to do so to ensure that the best-informed decisions are made. Is it always an easy thing to do? No, but I feel it’s necessary if you truly believe and are convicted by the quality of your work. Is your current firm doing that for you?

About Steve Diedrick...

Steve is the founder of Redmond, a global talent organization firm whose clients include world renowned brands and start-ups that are shaping tomorrow's world. As a highly respected authority and pioneer in the field of human capital with close to three decades in the space, his progressive ideas on search-excellence reflect a profound understanding/passion for the global economy and the ever-evolving mindset of the unique talent that propels companies forward. He has personally reached out to more than 100,000 professionals and interviewed over 35,000 potential candidates throughout his career. His personal drive, perspective, discipline and focus is a culmination of his life experience living abroad and the 27 years spent mastering the Martial Art of Qi Gong. His Mantra: There is nothing like direct experience that takes you from knowledge - to knowing.

Email me at: [email protected] or Text me at: 947.222.9200 and let's discuss how Redmond can help you.

? Redmond Research, Inc. 2020