My major concern with leadership traits – and as an executive recruiter they truly give me heartburn – is that they become the major drivers of selection decisions. Consider:
- When a hiring manager is making a decision to hire one person over another person, what goes through his/her mind that drives that choice?
- How do individuals typically make “selection” decisions?
- What are the factors that drive these all-important decisions?
Even more important is the hiring decision when the person being hired will be a leader in the organization.
There are generally six key “screens” or factors that drive hiring decisions. Essentially, these are the judgments and thoughts that go through the hiring manager’s mind when the decision is made regarding which candidate to hire. These screens are:
The “chemistry” screen – “I really like him/her.” “I could get along quite well with this person.” Often this happens because the person comes from a similar background as the hiring manager (or went to the same graduate school or likes the same things or has the same hobbies). These are often described as the “halo” effect and the “similar-to-me” effect. This is the trait theory of leadership raising its ugly head.
The “presentation” screen – “He/she has great presentation / speaking skills.” “He/she just looks good.” “He/she looks like a high-quality leader.” This is often called the “charisma” factor and may include a great sense of humor, body language, strong listening skills, display of empathy, or good communication and interpersonal skills in general
The “accomplishment” screen – “I really like what this person has done.”
The “context” screen – “I like where this person has worked.” “I like the people with whom this person has worked.” “This candidate has worked for one of the best organizations in our industry.”
The “culture” screen – “I think he/she would be a great fit in our organization.” “He/she has the set of values that goes well in our organization.”
The “leadership competency” screen – “He/she has the right leadership competencies.”
The sad reality is that in typical hiring scenarios, Factors One and Two usually take on far greater importance and weight than they should. While important and certainly worthy of consideration, this factor often drives the hiring decision to the exclusion of the other factors.
Consider these points as you think about making hiring decisions. More discussion to come.