I admit it. I’m a “sap” for romance. I woke up at 5:00 a.m. last Friday to watch the royal wedding, and before that I watched various documentaries and stories about Prince Wiliam and his 8-year relationship with Kate Middleton. I love seeing princesses, weddings, happy occasions and following the excitement surrounding Kate’s wedding dress.
But putting all the hub-bub aside, the truth is that there is always hope at the beginning of any new relationship. We all wish for a “happily ever after” ending whenever we join with another person, whether in a marriage, a new child, a friendship or a business relationship.
The same is true when we have a new hire – we optimistically want them to be the perfect fit for the job, the manager and the organization.
So how do we improve the odds of a successful hire?
Success Solution #1: Know your expectations
Before you can assume that the person will meet your needs, it is essential to know your expectations for the position –what behaviors (not personality traits) you need from an incumbent.
Using Kate Middleton to illustrate, some of her “official” accountabilities will include: officiate at various openings, carry out engagements in support of the Queen, serve as patron of various charities, work with and on behalf of charitable organizations, visit foreign countries, act, dress and behave in a way that reflects positively on the British monarchy, and provide an heir to the throne.
When I have to develop behavioral expectations for clients, I begin with a position description questionnaire. A sample of this form can be found by clicking here. http://birnbachsuccesssolutions.com/sites/default/files/10-Position…
Success Solution #2: Develop behavioral interview questions
Most of us do not have the luxury of time that Prince William had. He spent 8 years interviewing Kate Middleton for her position as a future Queen of Britain. Prince William has been able to observe Kate Middleton in action, forecasting how she will behave in the future.
Like Prince William, your goal is to make your best prediction of future performance. In lieu of watching potential job or volunteer candidates for 8 years, we must rely on behavioral interview questions – questions that can help us best understand a candidate’s past performance. Past behavior is the best indicator and predictor of future performance.
For sample behavioral interview questions, click here http://birnbachsuccesssolutions.com/sites/default/files/22-Behavior….
To see a structure for developing your own behavioral interview questions, click here http://birnbachsuccesssolutions.com/sites/default/files/21-Behavior…
Success Solution #3: Ensure the candidate knows your expectations
Prince William, very wisely, has spent considerable time ensuring that Kate Middleton knows the responsibilities and expectations for her upcoming position as Princess of Wales and her future position as Queen of England. He has learned from the lessons of his late mother, Princess Diana, and did not propose to Kate Middleton until they were both certain that she would be able to handle the challenges of the job.
Before offering a position to a potential employee or volunteer leader, clearly define the expectations, potential challenges and opportunities of the position. This clarity is vital. For us, this clarity is provided in a job description, rather than in traditions handed down by hundreds of years of royalty.
You may not be interviewing future world leaders or monarchs, but Prince William and Kate Middleton have offered to us a model for how to best ensure a good job match is made.
