Have you ever noticed that some employees on your team seem to be naturally at home in your workplace, while others seem to struggle finding their way? What makes the difference between them? Do you have an effective way to minimize this problem?
In the same way Steve Jobs described the personal computer as a “bicycle for the mind,” Crown’s interview tools are a “map for work relationships.” By asking the right questions of potential employees, you allow them to paint a verbal picture of the map they carry around in their mind. The person may or may not be aware of this map, yet it is vital that you understand, before you make a hiring decision, if their map is a close match to your working landscape.
If their map is a close match – great, you tell them “yes,” please join us! You have found someone who will easily navigate the culture of your team. They already understand the formal and informal expectations of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors necessary to both succeed AND thrive in your organization. This person may actually have a more detailed map to a part of your landscape yet to be explored. In this case, this new team member can help you actually excel in a whole new area, raising the team to even higher levels of excellence. In addition, Crown’s interview tools help transfer your knowledge of this new team member’s map and use it for continued growth as a resident in your work landscape.
Because you are seeking a mutual benefit when interviewing, you will often tell people “no,” their map is for a different work landscape. It can be disappointing, but it is OK. It is the right decision and is really an empathetic one for everyone involved. Using a map to guide you in a mis-matched landscape is frustrating. The familiar paths, landmarks, and rules for the road take you into the wrong places and often lead to misunderstandings, lost opportunities, and expensive backtracking to find the right path. Crown’s tools help you avoid the awkward conversations of telling an employee that they need to seek another landscape.
By seeking a close match between a candidate’s map and your landscape, you are providing a tremendous value to both parties in possible journey. As a hiring manager, you ultimately want what is best for both of you, right?. Whether your answer is “yes” or “no” to a candidate, you are giving that person a chance to help them find their way to the landscape best suited for their career journey. Crown can provide the right “map” through unique questions that help you hear and recognize the people who can relate and achieve excellence together.
