During this unprecedented global crisis, we’ve seen inspiring examples of initiative, integrity, resilience, adaptability, creativity, patience and empathy from all kinds of leaders, young and old. Times like this challenge all of us to demonstrate such traits, and they’re rightly valued and celebrated in our leaders.
Because of the lengthy crisis cycle, organizations will have to regroup before the crisis has ended. As they do, they will have a unique opportunity to change their hiring priorities, placing greater emphasis on the essential traits that helped to get us through this period. And emerging from this crisis, organizations will continue to regroup, reshape their post-crisis culture and regain profitability.
As they re-evaluate their hiring practices, many organizations will increase their reliance on remote working, contract employment and project-based roles. But all organizations will still need dedicated, loyal employees to assume critical, full-time positions. Whether they work remotely, on contract or full-time, the contribution of employees to an organization’s success will depend on their interpersonal traits.
That’s where the opportunity lies. Until now, most organizations have hired individuals largely based on their hard skills such as their credentials, certifications and experience in similar roles elsewhere. They’ve placed little emphasis on less definable traits such as initiative, integrity, resilience and all the other soft skills that have helped us to weather this crisis. Now that we’ve seen the critical importance of these essential skills, organizations have an opportunity to reconfigure their hiring practices to identify leadership candidates who demonstrate them in the appropriate mix for the specific position.
There are clear steps that you can take to reconfigure your hiring practices so that you can identify individuals who fit into your organization. I’ve explained and discussed these steps in detail in my new book, HIRING FOR FIT: A KEY LEADERSHIP SKILL, published by Business Expert Press. To buy a copy or read more about the book, please click here.