There is bright news on the horizon and companies find themselves gearing up to hire additional staff. As the vaccines for COVID-19 are approved and people are immunized, we look forward to getting back to work on a broader scale.
Hire for Key Personality Characteristics
Employees are the heart and soul of any business and represent a significant investment, so you want to choose carefully. Let’s review some key personality characteristics that you should look for as you add new talent to your workforce.
Culture fit – It is vitally important that any new recruit fits into your company’s culture. Be sure he or she shares your values. The right person is someone who can build trust with clients, engage in healthy conflict, make real commitment, hold people accountable, and focus on the team’s results.
Relationship builder– All employees should have a healthy respect for relationship building. You want a person who operates well within a team and is willing to share the credit of a job well done. Look for an individual who asks good questions, listens to what others are saying, and stays engaged in conversations.
Openness – To be effective as a team, employees must be willing to be open about their business dealings. In his book, The Advantage, Patrick Lencioni described a principle he called Vulnerability-based Trust. “A leadership team must be willing to be completely transparent, honest, and naked with one another.”
Work ethic – You want people with a good work ethic, the types who are always asking for more to do and show interest in learning new things. Self-motivation, diligence, and the ability to take responsibility are important values to look for in an individual.
Talented – While intellectual capacity is important, common sense is a talent even more critical to success. I once worked with an executive who was excited to add a Harvard MBA in Finance to his team. The new hire was indeed intelligent but was unable to translate his academic pedigree into practical ways of getting the job done.
Organized – Be sure your candidate illustrates good organizational skills as these are some of the most important and transferable skills an employee can have. You want your new employee to be a person who can plan, prioritize, and achieve his or her goals.
The Right Hiring Process
As you gear up to expand your team, look for these key personality characteristics in future employees. The right hiring process will result in a strong and loyal team, and will save your company time and money.
Get tips and tricks like the above in The Art of Sales books. Or subscribe to the FREE monthly articles here.