Hiring for Attitude Introduction

Key Findings of Hiring for Attitude

• A leadership study of 20,000 employees over three years showed that 46% of new hires failed within the first 18 months.
• The top five reasons for new hire failure were:
  • Coachability (26%)
  • Emotional Intelligence (23%)
  • Motivation (17%)
  • Temperament (15%)
  • Technical Competence (11%)
• Surprisingly, 89% of new hire failures were due to attitude issues, not technical skills.
• Skills are important, but attitude is crucial for successful hires.

Importance of Attitude Over Skill

• Attitude is more difficult to assess than skills.
• Skills can be tested using standardized exams or practical exercises.
• Assessing attitude requires careful questioning and analyzing responses for indicators of a good cultural fit.
• Attitude includes qualities such as determination, persistence, calmness, objectivity, flexibility, humility, openness, energy, collaboration, and trustworthiness.

Interviewing for Attitude

• Standard interview questions often fail to assess attitude.
• Hypothetical questions and leading questions can produce misleading results.
• Effective questions focus on situations demonstrating attitudes relevant to the organization's culture.
• Coachability is a key indicator.

Importance of Cultural Fit

• Cultural fit is crucial, as the best attitudes vary across organizations.
• For example, candidates best suited for Southwest Airlines differ from those suited for The Four Seasons.
• Even companies in the same industry (e.g., Google and Apple) have different cultures.
• Hiring for attitude requires identifying the specific attitudes important for success within your organization.

Recruiting and Selection

• Effective recruitment strategies attract the ideal candidate.
• Identifying candidates who are a good cultural fit is key, even for roles with high skill demands.
• Positive work environments are more attractive to talented hires.
• An organization's attitudes significantly dictate its ability to attract and retain top talent.

Developing High Performers

• Building a positive work environment and developing current employees can enhance overall performance.
• Methods like "Word Pictures" can be used within onboarding and performance appraisals.

Additional Points

• The book emphasizes a scientific and data-driven approach to hiring.
• The book emphasizes assessing a candidate's attitude to establish a good cultural fit.
• Technical competence is important but far less influential for success than attitude.