Want to Build an Effective Team? Hire for Attitude, Not Skill.

Recruiting the right team is essential for any business. When bringing new team members into the company, acquiring people with the right attitude can be far more important than finding people with specific skills when it comes to creating an effective team. Let's look at why that is and how to find the right people with the right attitude.

The Resume-Centric Approach Is Failing Us?

It's no secret that many hiring agents are still stuck in an outdated mindset when it comes to assessing job applicants. They place too much emphasis on resumes, which often only tell part of the story about a person's qualifications for the job at hand. A resume is useful for getting an initial sense of a candidate’s experience and background, but resumes don't tell us anything about their ability or willingness to do the job well—or even if they actually want the job in the first place! As such, relying too heavily on resumes can lead to bad hires who lack motivation or enthusiasm for their role.?

The truth is that there's no single formula for success when it comes to finding the right fit for your business. It must start with taking the time to get to know candidates beyond what's written on their resume—this means having open conversations about their goals, values, motivations, attitudes towards work, etc., as these traits will give you a better indication of whether or not they'll be able to succeed in the role.

Why Attitude Matters More Than Skills

The saying “attitude over aptitude” could not be more true when it comes to building an effective team. Sure, having great skills is important, but they won't guarantee success if you don't have someone with the right mindset and attitude toward their work. Having talented individuals within the business is obviously beneficial, but if they cannot conduct themselves professionally, their presence could cause more harm than good.

If a highly skilled person with a poor attitude is employed within the company, it can cause a range of issues for business leaders to deal with. Not only will this individual's poor behavior influence their immediate colleagues, but it could impact morale across the business, leading to decreased productivity and, ultimately, business decline.?

Attempting to change someone’s attitude can often feel like an uphill battle. Individuals who are asked to modify their outlook or behavior may perceive the request as an attack on their integrity and character, which can cause them to resist and even become defensive. They feel a need to protect their identity.

Skills, on the other hand, are something we all generally agree are worth acquiring and improving. While the idea of learning new skills may challenge a worker, they probably won't feel threatened by the idea.? Therefore, hiring a person with a positive attitude in this regard makes much more sense.? That positive attitude will probably drive their skill acquisition and make them favorable team members.

How To Find The Right People With The Right Attitude

Many business leaders understand that their employees need to be motivated and resilient to succeed—but what they may not realize is that two distinct types of mindsets can influence how a person approaches their work. These are fixed mindsets and growth mindsets, and understanding the differences between them can help you unlock the potential of your workforce.

People with fixed mindsets believe that their abilities are predetermined and cannot be changed. This often leads to an attitude of complacency, as people with fixed mindsets tend to focus on protecting their egos rather than challenging themselves to grow and improve. As a result, those with fixed mindsets may become discouraged when faced with difficult tasks or unfamiliar problems, leading to a lack of motivation and innovation in the workplace.

Conversely, those with growth mindsets believe that their abilities can be cultivated over time through effort and practice. They view challenges as opportunities for learning and development, rather than as threats to their sense of self-worth. Those with growth mindsets are more likely to take risks and embrace new ideas since they know that failure will not define them—and this dynamic attitude often leads to greater success in the workplace.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Hiring people with growth mindsets can give your business a significant edge over the competition. To learn more about growth mindset vs. fixed mindset, look into the work of Carol Dweck.? She's a leading authority on the topic.

Ask the Right Questions

Asking good questions is essential to evaluating a candidate's potential for hiring. Good questions can help you get to know an individual better, uncover their strengths and weaknesses, and explain how they will fit into your organization.???

It’s important to pay close attention to the answers that candidates give during interviews to determine if they have the attitude you're looking for. Are they able to articulate their ideas clearly? Do they demonstrate self-awareness? Are they confident in their answers?

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Behavioral interviewing is an effective method for determining if someone has the skills necessary for success within your organization by looking at past behavior to predict future performance. This type of interview focuses on specific scenarios and asks candidates how they have handled similar situations in the past or what strategies they would use going forward.

Some examples include “Can you tell me about a time when you had to work through a difficult problem?” or “Describe a project that required strong team collaboration” Both of these types of questions can provide valuable insight into someone's ability to contribute effectively within an organization.?

When it comes to creating an effective team, attitude matters more than skillset or experience—so make sure you're hiring for the right reasons! Ask questions that give the candidate a chance to show their self-awareness and whether they have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.? Ensure you're practicing active listening to ask appropriate follow-up questions that enrich your understanding of the candidate. You'll be glad you did when you have an amazing team working together toward success!