One of my least favorite quotes is "past behavior is the best indicator of future performance"; gross. I am kind in a snarky mood so I like it even less. You have three options when it comes to your existence as a leader. The first is exactly that, just exist. Sounds lame; and by the definition of being a leader you are most likely not this. The third (yes I did go out of order) is to be transformative. That is to completely transform the lives of those you influence - but that story for another day. The second, and now seemingly much more lame, is to achieve minimum expectations and results. This is celebrated in the world of leadership because it requires that you do as you're told, take no risks and expense exactly $345.21 of "travel and entertainment" each month - you know what I'm talking about, that amount you know you're boss will automatically approve. The point is that it's safe - very safe; and most companies would prefer this because they are, to some degree, in the business of loss prevention and cost control not the business of being awesome.
If your goal is to achieve boring and non-transformative results then by all means hire based on past performance. There is a lot of people out there who want to be exactly that - safe, boring and successful. It is also most of the people looking for jobs. This brings me to my first major point.
The best - I mean the best of the best of the best are in one of two places. One, happily employed and by that I mean making A LOT of money doing exactly what they want working for a company providing purpose and fulfillment. They are not even remotely interested in your boring safe achievements; and even if they were, their current employer would over pay to keep them.
So that leaves the second place - the land of the undiscovered. This is a scary land - not safe and definitely not boring! This is the land of social media conquests, mediocre GPAs, expressions that sound like entitlement but you are not quite sure and iPhone experts. The land of caring about silly things like influence, impact, autonomy and fulfillment - and also not interested in your boring and safe opportunity of achievement. This land is full of high expectations and no data,
no experience and no proof.
You have 3 options as I see it. One - hope that one of those super stars happens to be interested in boring.
Second, continue to re-tread your way to 100.9% of expectations and keep hiring based on past performance. Or third...
Hire on potential. That is super scary I know - you can't ensure your boss of anything. They have a pulse and are great with people; oh yeah and they want to run the world. There's no "hiring playbook' for hiring on potential. It's a look in their eye saying if you put your faith in me and believe I am someone worth empowering I'll go to the moon of for you!
That's it. I hope you chose an un-boring existence.
If your goal is to achieve boring and non-transformative results then by all means hire based on past performance. There is a lot of people out there who want to be exactly that - safe, boring and successful. It is also most of the people looking for jobs. This brings me to my first major point.
The best - I mean the best of the best of the best are in one of two places. One, happily employed and by that I mean making A LOT of money doing exactly what they want working for a company providing purpose and fulfillment. They are not even remotely interested in your boring safe achievements; and even if they were, their current employer would over pay to keep them.
So that leaves the second place - the land of the undiscovered. This is a scary land - not safe and definitely not boring! This is the land of social media conquests, mediocre GPAs, expressions that sound like entitlement but you are not quite sure and iPhone experts. The land of caring about silly things like influence, impact, autonomy and fulfillment - and also not interested in your boring and safe opportunity of achievement. This land is full of high expectations and no data,
no experience and no proof.
You have 3 options as I see it. One - hope that one of those super stars happens to be interested in boring.
Second, continue to re-tread your way to 100.9% of expectations and keep hiring based on past performance. Or third...
Hire on potential. That is super scary I know - you can't ensure your boss of anything. They have a pulse and are great with people; oh yeah and they want to run the world. There's no "hiring playbook' for hiring on potential. It's a look in their eye saying if you put your faith in me and believe I am someone worth empowering I'll go to the moon of for you!
That's it. I hope you chose an un-boring existence.