Thinking “Outside the Box” to build your best team?
A Leader is as good as their weakest link.
It is therefore important to be able to build the best team possible to achieve success
There are many ways to achieve this, but I thought I would simplify this into my Top 3 Tips and all three require you to “Think outside the Box”
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS OUTSIDE THE BOX
As a Leader or Manager, you could be doing your own recruitment, or it could be through an HR Recruitment Team.
Most companies tend to have a standard interview process and format, which ask the same questions that have been asked in interviews since time began!
I am sure you know the questions I mean:
“Tell me why you are applying for the role?”
“What do you think you can bring to the job?”
“Tell me about your greatest achievement?” etc. etc.
All very relevant questions, however, I would challenge you to think about, which is the ONE-KEY QUALITY or SKILL that is essential to the role you are recruiting for, and ask questions that will dig deeper to discover the real person and not just the person on the surface
For Example, maybe the Key Skill you need for the role is “Influencing and Breaking down Barriers”, so some example questions you could ask could be:
Think about when you are out with your friends, what role do you usually play in the group?
Tell me about a time that you were in the middle of an argument between your colleagues or friends, what did you do?
Tell me about a situation where you had a strong opinion about something, and the group or person was not listening to you.
The aim is to use the standard format but amend it and add some challenging questions, so you can really dig deep to discover the personal qualities and skills that you are looking for and allows you to get to know the real person
RECRUIT OUTSIDE THE BOX
Recruiting is extremely time-consuming, however, do not fall into the trap of “Box Ticking” to get the job done quickly.
There will be a set of skills you are searching for, however, sometimes the long list of requirements restricts you from looking at wider options and can put off good candidates from applying. Obviously, in large companies, potentially the robots have already done the filtering for you, which can be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the filters that have been applied.
Sometimes, it is worth thinking about opening your mind to consider candidates from outside your industry/field, as they can bring a new perspective to your team. Perhaps consider a woman who had a career break to raise her children, maybe she could bring masses of enthusiasm coming back into the work environment. Consider the transferable skills that someone can bring to the role, rather than just looking for someone who has the same Job Title as the role you are recruiting for
It again comes down to the Key Quality or Skill you require, rather than the long list of restrictive, sometimes non-essential requirements.
Try thinking outside that very restrictive box!
DEVELOP INTERNAL POTENTIAL OUTSIDE THE BOX
The potential within a company is often overlooked.
There may be potential Account Managers within your admin team, potential Sales Managers within your accounts team and potential Area Managers in your agent pool
Companies can get too wrapped up in Grades and Levels, like a class system, instead of allowing future potential to be discovered at any level or grade. There are often HR rules in place that restrict movement above one grade instead of rewarding the potential that the individual can deliver
Ask yourself, what am I doing as a Leader to develop the talent I already have within the business?
It is essential to have a culture, structure, and process set up to identify and develop future potential. A Talent Development Program, proactively looking at existing employees, understanding who is interested in development or promotion, and creating a Future Talent Pool.
This will massively improve employee satisfaction and retention and potentially save on recruitment costs, staff turnover, and time.
Building a great team is only the start to success, but an important beginning
And remember:
To build a strong team you must see someone else’s strength as a complement to your weakness and not a threat to your position or authority!