Stay updated on our latest
articles with RSS
Can you think outside the box? What about inside the box?
I remember a discussion not too long ago with some board members who were deciding how to go about finding a new CEO for their company.
While it’s likely the most important decision a board or any organization can make, very few companies pay much attention to this critical issue of succession or leadership change--other than a few names whispered in the halls.
“That's why the best CEO [or leader] should be both an insider and an outsider,” says Harvard Business School professor Joseph L. Bower. “An insider with intimate knowledge of your company, and an outsider who is ready to put sacred cows out to pasture.”
When your business is ready to make a change, consider going inside-out.
It’s a question that goes on in just about every company of every size. Do we go outside for talent or do we grow it from within? As part of that debate, you may want to consider the following questions that recently appeared as part of an article in Workforce Management online:
How do we provide a career path for the employees within our company?
How can we hire externally when we require so much knowledge of our business to be successful?
Why can't we find external candidates with industry specific experience?
If we decide to hire externally, how can we sell that to the current members of the team and to the internal candidates that applied?
As a recruiter, would you expect me to say it's often best to hire internally, any time you can? Well most of the time it is, and it’s not just a safe answer. One of the first things we ask a prospective client before taking on a search assignment is: “Is there someone already in your organization who can solve your problem and/or do this job the way you want it done?”
But here may be the real issue. If you are framing the question: "Should we promote internally or hire externally?”--you’re probably asking the wrong question.
Because it’s more complex than that. For every position in your company, “you want employees who are engaged, and are therefore self-motivated to innovate and pursue value within the framework of their role, without you asking,” the article states.
The Rules of Engagement
Can you find that person internally? Quite possibly, but it may not be that easy. A few years back, the Gallup organization did a survey of 1000 workers investigating the relationship between engaged employees and innovation. The study showed that only 29% of employees are actively engaged in what they do, 55% are not engaged, and 16% are actively disengaged. Put another way, less than 1/3 of an organization’s employees are contributing fully to that organization’s success.
The more you read about engagement, the more you realize some people are naturally engaged. But part of your job is assisting those people with low engagement levels to become more energized. But reality bites. No matter how hard you try, some individuals will never become engaged.
So what do you do, what do you look for when considering hiring internally or externally? You want a candidate (internal or external) who is both engaged and self motivated. If you are ready to dole out a promotion internally, ask yourself if the candidate in question displays the following behavioral traits:
Shows consistent levels of high performance.
Has natural innovation and drive for efficiency.
Is emotionally committed to what they do.
Exudes high energy and enthusiasm.
Never runs out of things to do; creates positive things to act on.
Broadens what they do and builds on it.
Instinctive self-involvement in special projects.
Consistently demonstrates personal/professional improvement.
Demonstrates innovation regarding processes and procedures.
These attributes go beyond product knowledge and many of the values usually placed on an internal promotion. But you don't need a Gallup group to come in and measure the engagement of your internal candidates. You just need to put some behavioral questions in place to measure these traits, and then drill down. A major question for you to answer is: Does your internal candidate show these traits without daily prodding?
If you can find these qualities in your internal candidate pool, promote them immediately. If you can't, work to figure out what you can do as a company to create an environment that maximizes engagement. In the meantime, you'll need to look externally for the engaged candidate who can come in and display these qualities.
That's how you're going to get an impact player in the spot you're looking to fill. It's not Internal Player vs. External Player, it's Engaged Candidate vs. Non-Engaged Candidate.
If you don't have it internally, your job is to go find the highly engaged external candidate who will come into your company and make the internal candidates see the difference
I remember a discussion not too long ago with some board members who were deciding how to go about finding a new CEO for their company.
While it’s likely the most important decision a board or any organization can make, very few companies pay much attention to this critical issue of succession or leadership change--other than a few names whispered in the halls.
“That's why the best CEO [or leader] should be both an insider and an outsider,” says Harvard Business School professor Joseph L. Bower. “An insider with intimate knowledge of your company, and an outsider who is ready to put sacred cows out to pasture.”
When your business is ready to make a change, consider going inside-out.
It’s a question that goes on in just about every company of every size. Do we go outside for talent or do we grow it from within? As part of that debate, you may want to consider the following questions that recently appeared as part of an article in Workforce Management online:
How do we provide a career path for the employees within our company?
How can we hire externally when we require so much knowledge of our business to be successful?
Why can't we find external candidates with industry specific experience?
If we decide to hire externally, how can we sell that to the current members of the team and to the internal candidates that applied?
As a recruiter, would you expect me to say it's often best to hire internally, any time you can? Well most of the time it is, and it’s not just a safe answer. One of the first things we ask a prospective client before taking on a search assignment is: “Is there someone already in your organization who can solve your problem and/or do this job the way you want it done?”
But here may be the real issue. If you are framing the question: "Should we promote internally or hire externally?”--you’re probably asking the wrong question.
Because it’s more complex than that. For every position in your company, “you want employees who are engaged, and are therefore self-motivated to innovate and pursue value within the framework of their role, without you asking,” the article states.
The Rules of Engagement
Can you find that person internally? Quite possibly, but it may not be that easy. A few years back, the Gallup organization did a survey of 1000 workers investigating the relationship between engaged employees and innovation. The study showed that only 29% of employees are actively engaged in what they do, 55% are not engaged, and 16% are actively disengaged. Put another way, less than 1/3 of an organization’s employees are contributing fully to that organization’s success.
The more you read about engagement, the more you realize some people are naturally engaged. But part of your job is assisting those people with low engagement levels to become more energized. But reality bites. No matter how hard you try, some individuals will never become engaged.
So what do you do, what do you look for when considering hiring internally or externally? You want a candidate (internal or external) who is both engaged and self motivated. If you are ready to dole out a promotion internally, ask yourself if the candidate in question displays the following behavioral traits:
Shows consistent levels of high performance.
Has natural innovation and drive for efficiency.
Is emotionally committed to what they do.
Exudes high energy and enthusiasm.
Never runs out of things to do; creates positive things to act on.
Broadens what they do and builds on it.
Instinctive self-involvement in special projects.
Consistently demonstrates personal/professional improvement.
Demonstrates innovation regarding processes and procedures.
These attributes go beyond product knowledge and many of the values usually placed on an internal promotion. But you don't need a Gallup group to come in and measure the engagement of your internal candidates. You just need to put some behavioral questions in place to measure these traits, and then drill down. A major question for you to answer is: Does your internal candidate show these traits without daily prodding?
If you can find these qualities in your internal candidate pool, promote them immediately. If you can't, work to figure out what you can do as a company to create an environment that maximizes engagement. In the meantime, you'll need to look externally for the engaged candidate who can come in and display these qualities.
That's how you're going to get an impact player in the spot you're looking to fill. It's not Internal Player vs. External Player, it's Engaged Candidate vs. Non-Engaged Candidate.
If you don't have it internally, your job is to go find the highly engaged external candidate who will come into your company and make the internal candidates see the difference