Avoid common hiring mistakes Interviewing, selection & assessment competencies Increase the performance and retention of your people

1. IT’S A FIT!…
How to Assess, Select,
Retain, and Coach
Star Performers
Presented by:
Dr. Maynard Brusman
Consulting Psychologist & Executive Coach
CCI
12-4-06
San Francisco, California
© Copyright 2006 Working Resources

2. Our Goals for Today
o Implement 3 new strategic talent
management ideas
o Assess, select, retain, and evaluate
talent
o Hire star performers that fit the
company culture
o Role-play performance-based
interviewing skills

3. What You Will Learn Today
o Avoid common hiring mistakes
o Interviewing, selection &
assessment competencies
o Increase the performance and
retention of your people

4. Win the War For Talent
o The most important resource over the
next 20 years will be talent
o Companies must attract energetic,
motivated, technologically literate,
globally astute, & learning agile
people
o T alent has become more important
than capital, strategy, or R&D

5. The War for Talent
o High cost of turnover
o Shrinking labor pool
o Competitive pressure
o The business advantage of hiring
great people whose values and
competencies match the company’s
culture

6. Strategic Talent Management
o Selection, development, promotion,
and retention of people executed in
line with your organization’s current
and future business goals

7. Linking Human Resource
Systems Through Competencies
o Selection
o Performance Management
o Training/Development
o Succession Planning
o Coaching
o Organizational Alignment

8. What Are Competencies
o Behaviors that distinguish effective
performers from ineffective ones
n motives, traits, skills, abilities
o Competency model: a set of desired
behaviors for a particular job
o Two distinct groups
n job-specific competencies
n “people skills” competencies

9. COMPETENCY DEFINITION
o A cluster of related knowledge, skills,
and attitudes that affects a major
part of one’s job
o Correlates with performance on the
job
o Can be measured against standard
o Can be improved via training and
development

10. Well-Defined Competencies
o Customer Service – cultivates strategic
customer relationships ensuring that the
customer perspective is the driving force
behind all value-added business activities.
Maintains customer trust – listens and
responds with empathy to customer issues or
ideas
o Definition is thorough and specific and
describes key actions (behaviors) a person
would exhibit when effectively displaying this
competency

11. FOCUS ON BEHAVIOR
o What skills, knowledge, and characteristics
are required to do the job?
o What behaviors have the most direct
impact on performance and success on the
job?
o In selection systems, a competency model
ensures that all interviewers are looking for
the same set of abilities and characteristics
o For succession planning, competency
models ensure that decision-makers focus
on characteristics relevant to success

12. BEHAVIORAL LANGUAGE
o The best way to word competencies is
with behavioral language that
describes the things you can see or
hear being done
o Behavioral language is very concrete
o A behavior is an action that you can
observe, describe, and verify

13. The 12 Most Common
Competencies
o Communication
o Achievement
o Customer focus
o T eamwork
o Leadership
o Planning and organizing

14. The 12 Most Common
Competencies
o Commercial/business awareness
o Flexibility/adaptability
o Developing others
o Problem solving
o Analytical thinking
o Building relationships

15. “You can’t spend too much
time or effort on ‘hiring
smart.’ The alternative is to
manage tough, which is much
more time consuming.”
Gary Rogers, Chairman & CEO,
Dryer’s Grand Ice Cream

16. “Men judge more from
appearances than reality. All
men have eyes, but few have the
gift of penetration. Everyone
sees your exterior, but few can
discern what you have in your
heart”.
Machiavelli, The Prince, 1532

17. Hire for Attitude, Train For Skill
o What you know changes, who you
are doesn’t
o The best way to evaluate people is
to watch them work
o Identify competencies of your top
performers and hire people just like
them
o Assess for motivation and energy

18. Interviewer’s Self-Assessment
o A three minute exercise to evaluate
your individual skill at interviewing
for desired competencies
o Be honest in your answers: how you
really are today, not how you want
to be

19. Scoring the Self-Assessment
o If your score is between
n 65 and 75: you probably conduct
successful interviews
n 55 and 64: some strengths,
opportunities to improve
n below 55: Red Alert, opportunity for
significant improvement
n for all: focus on areas where score is 3
or less

20. 4 Questions
o What was your worst hire? Why?
o What was your best hire? Why?
o What are your favorite interview
questions?
o Do you have written job descriptions
based on past performance
capability?

21. What Are People Saying About
Your Company?
Employment Branding
o Creates an image that attracts people
to work for your company
o Builds the public’s image of the
company’s culture, work practices,
management style, and growth
opportunities

22. Branding Messages
o Company culture
o Management style
o Quality and spirit of employees
o Higher purpose of organization
o Benefits and work/life balance
o Learning and growth opportunities
o Great place to work?

23. Branding Sample
o Founded in 1946, RINA accountancy corporation (RINA) is one of the leading
independent accounting firms in Northern California and among the largest in the
Greater Bay Area. RINA is made up of approximately 70 Certified Public
Accountants, paraprofessionals and administrative assistants. We attribute the
growth of our practice to the talent and expertise of these people. Not simply
their technical competence, but their genuine concern for our clients' success.
o RINA’s MISSION
We provide a collaborative environment that fosters innovative solutions. Guided
by our resources and experience, our clients and our team members identify
their goals and achieve their maximum potential.
o RINA’s VISION
We will be the most respected regional accounting and consulting firm in
Northern California.
o RINA’s CORE VALUES
Integrity Entrepreneurial Spirit T eamwork Family
Open and Honest Communication Quality T rust Innovation
o RINA's PHILOSOPHY
At RINA, exceptional service is just the beginning. We are always searching for
new ways to add value, while maintaining the highest professional standards of
quality. Recognizing that business owners need more than just accounting
services, our stockholders have become trusted advisors to their clients. We are
there in good times and bad, both professionally and personally.

24. Attracting Candidates
o Write Outrageous Ads that are Fun,
Challenging, and Exciting
o Describe what Candidates will be
Doing and Becoming
o Implement Just-in-Time Hiring
o Stay Connected with Former
Employees
o Create Employee Referral Program

25. Attracting Top Talent
o Job security
o Financial security
o Education
o Staying healthy
o Work-life balance
o Quality of work relationships

26. Attracting Top Talent
o Stock options
o On-site child care
o Career development
o Partnership with organization
o Trust

27. On-Line Recruiting
o careermosaic.com
o intellimatch.com
o monster .com
o cweb.com
o careerpath.com
o jobnet.com
o jobweb.com
o jobtrak.com
o craigslist.org

28. Avoid Top 10 Hiring
Mistakes
o Playing the personality game
o Unrealistic job specifications
o A tiny candidate pool
o Evaluating in absolute terms
o T aking applicants at face value

29. Avoid Top 10 Hiring
Mistakes
o The “Just Like Me” bias
o Delegation problems
o Unstructured interviews
o Relying on hard data: Ignoring
emotional intelligence
o Political pressures

30. The Job Analysis
o What a person in that position has
to accomplish
o What a person should bring to the
party
o T asks that achieve the performance
objectives
o Specific, Measurable, Action
oriented, Result, Time-based

31. Accomplishment-Based
Job Description
o Job Title
o Relevance of the Position
o Major Responsibilities
o Critical Criteria
o Preferred Criteria
o Supervisor

32. Keys to a Successful
Interview
o A mix of job-specific and personal-
interpersonal performance-based
questions targeting desired
competencies
o “The single best predictor of future
behavior is a candidate’s past
behavior”
o Listen 80% of the time
o Emotional control

33. Pre-Interview Checklist-
preview
o Review the 9 steps
o Decide how many to include in your
company’s process
n the more you include, the less the risk of a
poor hiring decision down the road
o Make this process the only acceptable way
to prepare for an interview
n complete a pre-interview checklist in advance

34. Pre-Interview Checklist:
detail
o 1 Job Analysis- critical success factors
o 2 Job description targeting performance
objectives and competencies
o 3 Read candidate materials
o 4 Length of interview
o 5 Job-specific competencies questions
o 6 Personal-interpersonal competency questions
o 7 Problem behaviors
o 8 Work sample
o 9 Pre-employment tests

35. Interview Checklist
o Use job-specific performance-based
questions, prepared in advance
o Ask “people skills” competency
questions
o T ake notes
o Note personal and career
development areas
o Compile a final rating

36. Employee Selection: Testing
and Assessment Overview
o Cognitive Ability
o Personality and T emperament
o Sales Ability

37. Evaluating the Candidate:
the hiring decision
o All interviewers share their analysis
with the hiring manager
n Work-related competencies and
performance profiles
n other job related data
n “people skills” impressions

38. Post Interview Strategies
o Call references
o Background checks

39. PERFORMANCE
EVALUATIONS
Coaching Conversations and
Forms

40. Learning Objectives
o Explain how a performance review
discussion can be used to increase
individual productivity, motivation, and
learning
o Align the performance evaluation process
with the firm’s mission, vision, and values
o Understand the key competencies
o Identify the core message employee should
remember after the conversation
o Practice coaching employees on future
desired performance focusing on strengths

41. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
DEFINITION
Performance evaluation is the process
of evaluating a staff member’s
performance, considering future
goals, and addressing any training or
development needs.

42. PURPOSE OF PERFORMANCE
EVALUATION
o Feedback
o Promotion
o Performance improvement
o Coaching & mentoring
o Development/training
o Career advancement

43. A GREAT PERFORMANCE
EVALUATION SYSTEM
1. Performance Planning
2. Performance Execution
3. Performance Assessment
4. Performance Review

44. JOB ANALYSIS
o Essential goals and objectives upon
which performance will be evaluated
o Success-Factor definitions and
descriptions
o Describe performance in behavioral
terms

45. CORE COMPETENCIES
o Competencies are behaviors that
distinguish effective performers from
ineffective ones
o A competency model depicts a set of
desired behaviors for a particular job
position or level
o Job competencies are the specific skills,
knowledge, and abilities required to
accomplish any given task at work
o Competencies are key to culture change

46. EVALUATION FORMS
1. Cultural competencies
2. Job-specific competencies
3. Key job responsibilities
4. Goals and major projects
5. Summary of achievements to further
mission, vision, and values

47. EVALUATION FORMS
o Focus on behaviors and results
o Best-practice organizations evaluate
employees based on core
competencies

48. GOALS
o Emphasize results
o Measurable
o Challenging
o Linked to mission
o Mutually agreed upon

49. HOW DO YOU
MOTIVATE PEOPLE?
o Provide recognition of good performance
any time it’s encountered
o Enable employees to find meaning in
their work
o Create a compelling vision
o Provide interesting work
o Develop a collaborative and team-based
culture

50. GIVING FEEDBACK
o Learned and part of firm’s culture
o Everyone’s responsibility
o Balance positive and negative
feedback
o Focus on specific examples of
behavior
o Timely
o Contracting

51. CONVERSATION
STRATEGIES
o Be appropriately sociable
o Ask for employee’s self-appraisal first
o Present your evaluation
o Confirm employee’s understanding
o Discuss agreements and
disagreements
o Discuss goals and action plans
o Remove obstacles

52. EFFECTIVE
CONVERSATIONS
o Employee does most of the talking
o Intense effort to listen
o Problem solve
o Comments based on specific behavior
o Appreciative inquiry questions

53. FOCUS ON STRENGTHS
o “Now Discover Your Strengths”

54. CORE MESSAGE
o What is the single most important
message?

55. COACHING
o Providing and clarifying direction
o Encouraging the development of
performance goals
o Giving feedback and listening
o Motivating
o Removing barriers and providing
resources

56. RECEIVING FEEDBACK
o Welcome feedback
o Proactive in seeking feedback
o Be open to change
o Listen to feedback from everyone
o Multi-rater 360-degree feedback

57. Emotional Intelligence is the
ability to…
o recognize our own feelings and those
of others, motivate ourselves, and
manage emotions well in ourselves
and in our interpersonal relationships

58. RESEARCH
o Up to 90% of the difference between
outstanding and average leaders is linked
to emotional intelligence. EQ is twice as
important as IQ and technical expertise
combined, and is four times as important in
overall success
o Research by the Center for Creative
Leadership found the primary cause of
derailment in executives involves deficits
in emotional competence
1. Change 2. T eamwork 3. Interpersonal
Relations

59. WHY DEVELOP
EMOTIONAL INTELIGENCE?
o More than 50% of employees lack the
motivation to keep learning and improving
o Four in 10 people cannot work
cooperatively
o 70% of all change initiatives fail because of
people issues – inability to lead, lack of
teamwork, unwillingness to take initiative,
and inability to deal with change
Hay Group

60. EQ vs. IQ
o EQ is the ability to bring people together
and motivate them
o EQ is the trust to build productive
relationships
o EQ is the resilience to perform under
pressure
o EQ is the courage to make decisions
o EQ is the strength to persevere through
adversity

61. EQ vs. IQ
o EQ is the vision to create the future
o EQ is a skill. Skills can be learned
o Employees in an emotionally
intelligent company empowered to
contribute fully
o Emotionally intelligent organization
creates innovative products &
services, and exceptional customer
loyalty

62. Five Competencies of Emotional
Intelligence at Work
o Self-Awareness-Ability to recognize
and understand your moods, emotions, and
drives, as well as their effect on others
o Self-Regulation-Ability to control
impulses and moods
o Motivation-Passion to pursue goals with
energy
o Empathy-Awareness of others’ feelings
o Social Skill-Proficiency in managing
relationships

63. The Peter Principle and EQ
o People are frequently promoted to
their level of incompetence
o Individuals are often promoted
because of their technical expertise,
when the needed skills are managing
people
o The technical expert can become a
poor boss

64. EQ OBSTACLES
o Fear
o Avoid Conflict and Challenge
o Negative Internal Dialogue
o Unrealistic Expectations
o Blaming Others

65. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
o Focus on behavior
o Build self-esteem
o Solve problems collaboratively
o Listen actively
o Probe for understanding
o Positively reinforce desired behaviors

66. ABOLISHING
PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
o “Performance appraisals are the
bloodletting of today’s management”
Steven Covey
Develop win-win agreements based
on trust, listening and communication

67. New Hire Orientation
Strategies for Success in the
First 100 Days
o Look for opportunities
o Leverage your strengths
o Contribute value
o Clarify your role and set goals
o Learn self-management skills
o Develop network of resources
o Be a team player
o Clearly communicate your professional
image
o Determine what success looks like

68. LOVE ‘EM OR LOSE ‘EM:
Retaining Talented Employees
o Retention Factors
o www.gallup.com/poll/managing/mana
ging.asp

69. Retention Factors
o 1. I know what is expected of me at
work
o 2. I have the materials and equipment I
need to do my work right
o 3. At work, I have the opportunity to do
what I do best everyday
o 4. In the last seven days, I have received
recognition or praise for good work

70. Retention Factors
o 5. My supervisor or the person I
report to seems to care about me
as a person
o 6. There is someone at work who
encourages my development
o 7. In the last six months, someone at
work has talked with me about my
progress

71. Retention Factors
o 8. At work, my opinions seem to
count
o 9. The mission/purpose of my
company makes me feel my job is
important
o 10. My fellow employees are
committed to doing quality work

72. Retention Factors
o 11. I have a best friend at work
o 12. The last year , I have had
opportunities to learn and grow

73. Retaining and Coaching
Top Talent
o Share a common vision
o Provide meaningful work
o Provide proper resources
o Get people involved in decision-making
o Provide support with managing change
o Coaching for career development

74. Employee Retention and
Development Statistics
o Replacement costs for employees
can be as much as 150% of the
departing person’s salary

75. ACTION PLAN
o Identify 3 strengths
o Identify 3 growth areas
o Develop a plan to improve specific
skill.
o Move action forward with a coach

76. UNLEASHING OUR
POTENTIAL
“Our deepest fear is not that we are
inadequate. Our deepest fear is that
we are powerful beyond measure. It
is our light, not our darkness, that
frightens us. ”
Nelson Mandela

77. Handout Resources
o Workshop Agenda
o Interviewer’s Self-Assessment
o The Importance of The Selection
Interview
o Four T opics to Cover in a
Performance-Based Job Interview

78. Handout Resources
o Interview Styles
o Steps in the Interview Process
o “IT’S A FIT” Article
o T op T en Tips
o Questions Most Asked By
Interviewers

79. Handout Resources
o Personal/Interpersonal Competency
Questions
o Legal Guidelines for Personality T ests
o IT’S A FIT! Interviewing Guide
o Final Rating Sheet
o Hiring References

80. Handout Resources
o Selection and Development
Assessment Resources
o Sample Selection Report

81. Dr. Maynard Brusman
Consulting Psychologist & Executive Coach
Working Resources
P .O. Box 471525 San Francisco, California 94147
T el: 415-546-1252
E-mail: mbrusman@workingresources.com
Web Site: http://www.workingresources.com
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