Right person for the right role so you can be a high performing leader
Posted on November 2, 2016

Getting the right people in the right role is one of the most important roles of a leader and manager.  Contrary to popular opinion knowledge, skills and experience are not the most important considerations for selecting the right person.

There are 3 key dimensions to consider when doing so:

  1. Do they value the work of the role? Every one of us is unique.  We have different personalities, different stories and we value different things.  Some of us value quiet time by a computer to nut out a complex problems.  Others are very social and love connecting with other people and making sales.

It is critical that people work in roles that they value.  Having employees performing a role that does not suit their temperament or that they feel is valuable drains their energy and leads to long term underperformance in the role – no matter how hard they try.

As managers and leaders, we need to understand that we cannot change the values of another or force influence them to value a role that does not suit them.  Helping these people find a role that is more suitable for them is the most professional and compassionate thing you can do for them.  It is a requirement of your job as a manager to build a high performing team.  Continuing to employ an employee who is not performing to the requirements of the role is undermining your leadership.

I once worked in management consulting.  There was a shortage of work and every day I had to work on a piece of work that I thought was a waste of time.  I woke up in the morning only to have to drag myself out of bed.  I looked terrible when I looked in the mirror.  I was underperforming in the role which was damaging my confidence and reputation.

Clues that your direct reports done value their work:

  • Long term underperformance
  • Giving performance feedback and get improved performance for a few weeks only to find that it just goes back to the way it was
  • Listening to their levels of enthusiasm

Solutions:

  • If you have someone who is underperforming, help them realise that they are in the wrong role and support them to find a new role that is more appropriate to their needs.
  • When you are interviewing for new roles, much of your interview process should be dedicated to questions that help you understand the type of work they value. Look for surges of enthusiasm and passion while people are talking to give you clues as to what they value.

 

  1. Do they have the appropriate level of IQ for the role?  Organisations exist in hierarchies and as we go up the levels, each role requires an ever increasing ability to deal with complexity.  The complexity of the CEO’s role is much greater than that of a call centre operator.

Each of us have a different ability to deal with complexity – a bit like an Applied IQ.  It is critical to match the individual’s Applied IQ with the complexity required for the role.  If you put someone who is only capable of a lower level role into a senior role, they will fail.  If you put someone capable of a high level role in the front line, they will also fail.  Clues of a mismatch of Applied IQ are:

  • A manager who is micromanaging their direct reports indicates that they don’t have the capability for their role but are rather feeling comfortable in the roles below them.
  • Obnoxious behaviour and annoying the boss is often a clue that someone is bored in the role and needs to be in a different role.

The best way of identifying the Applied IQ of an individual is to work with them.  If this is not possible, you can listen to the complexity and level of thinking of the individuals through discussions on complex problems or asking them to submit a piece of work that shows the quality of their thinking.

One interesting example in listening to differing levels of Applied IQ is to listen to the third debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.  Regardless of your politics, you can hear in the quality of the discussion that Hillary is able to think at higher levels of complexity for complex problems.  Donald’s language and thinking appear to be at a lower level than Hillary’s.

Our Applied IQ does change over time as we mature but we, as managers, cannot change the Applied IQ of our direct reports.  If there is a mismatch then we need to find a way to respectfully and compassionately help this person find another role more suitable to their level of thinking.

I have one client now whose level of thinking is significantly higher than what the role requires. One of the challenges of this is that his direct reports struggle to understand what he is saying because he is thinking and communicating at too much of an abstract level for them.  He is performing well in the role for now.  I predict that in 3 years’ time, he will not be in that role because he will have 1) been promoted; 2) left because he is bored; or 3) been fired for being a pain – as a result of his being bored.

  1. Knowledge, skills and experience.  These three key qualities are necessary for success in a role.  However, the necessary knowledge, skills and experience can be gained and developed through providing the right training and work experience.  If someone has both of the first 2 criteria (value for work and applied IQ) for the job but lack these three key qualities, then they will grow into the role as they gain the knowledge, skills and experience for the role.

In summary:

  • Leading a high performing team requires the right people in the right job.
  • Job match requires all of the 3 elements of valuing the work, Applied IQ and knowledge/skills/experience.
  • If you have a mismatch of valuing work or Applied IQ for your team members, you need to find ways to move them out of the team into more appropriate roles respectfully and compassionately.
  • Ensure you consider all the three elements when hiring.
  • Prioritise valuing the work and Applied IQ over knowledge, skills and experience when hiring.

 

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