“RIGHT”, a mere word with five letters and people interprets it in five thousand ways using different context. In the business world too the usage of this word is extensive when it comes to people, as it said that try to bring right people not best people.
Since ages every business leader either are concerned to on board “right people” or being told and advised by great business coaches that “these are the right people and these are not”. Many authors also have written multiple concepts around it with again their interpretation of the word “Right People” for businesses and companies. Yet most of us are struggling to identify those right people time and again. I have derived the whole approach of bringing right people on board in 3 stages.
Pre-requisite
After helping many organizations to bring those right people for them, I feel defining the right people for the organization is the first step. Here is the glimpse of some fundamental questions that I ask leaders or we together brainstorm with-
The clear definition of right people acts as a compass further in your journey of finding, evaluating and finalizing right people.
Finding
This phase starts with primarily 2 activities, either acquisition from the scratch or alteration from the year end review. In any case organization is bringing new people on board. The late Douglas Bray once stated “If you have only one dollar to spend on either improving the way you develop people or improving your selection and hiring process, pick the latter.”
Hiring for the right skills & attitude is more efficient than developing those. The hiring process has its own millstones to reach at a right person hiring along with apt hiring strategies:
Its starts with job description, to which many organizations don’t pay much attention. It’s the 1st image you are creating to those right people whom you want to take on board. In order to be more precise in the JD, I generally recommend to add sections like what you don’t want in people or can’t be fit to your organization as red flags along with some culture glimpse and special perks if any you are going to offer.
The second important part is adding special round of interview on the values of the organization along with other standard rounds. Committee has to make a questionnaire for the same in line with their organization values that might look one time exercise but paid off greatly.
Last but not least focus on Culture Addition and not only culture fit. Just like chess, you need all kind of people in your organization when you define “right people” to not only achieve the objective but being sustainable organization and on top in the journey in every situation of market. While hiring, its critical to keep an eye open for those people who bring multi skills, future skills or ability to develop it.
The crux is checking the person’s WILL with VALUES of your organization and put everything openly in the JD itself for people to make decision. Help them to choose you with sufficient information.
Finalization & Onboarding
Belongingness is a need for human being to feel connected with and to perform and it truly comes if organization pay attentions from the beginning of the person’s journey in the organization, while finalization. Right people come on board with competencies, knowledge, experience and most importantly mindset. Many companies are truly being careful to make the journey smoother and memorable for the person but if the efforts and actions of belonginess is not imbibed in it then its half cooked. Make sure people knows what is expected, what role they play and what role others play so they can make best use of each other. No matter how right or apt the person is; organization will not get the benefits of it
So, ask yourself as a leadership team or hiring team whether you connect “right dots” of the organization to have right people on board?
Author:
Keyuri Patel, an engineer who has mastered refining cultures and leadership, is associated with Jagdish Hirani & Associates as a Project Manager. She is consistently improving the conversion of strategies from design boards to ground team. She has a wide experience consulting organizations in the fields of BFSI, Education, Textile, Outdoor Media, Technology, Garments, Architectural Hardware, Travel and Event Management. Apart from contributing to the consulting projects she is also leading people initiatives at J.Hirani.
Success Mantra: “Don’t say “yes” if you are not convinced”. Understand that ultimately it’s your team (not machines, technology, money or product) who drives your organization.
