Don’t take this Job

When I first began studying Vineet Nayar several years ago I was stunned by his hiring process.  In most organizations “Meeting the CEO” was more of a “welcome to” instead of a real “inter-view”.  In Vineet’s case not only were his interviews real but even after these perspective new employees had completed all the tests, survived multiple interrogations by peers, and supervisors many left Vineet’s office not only unemployed but grateful that together they had made the choice that HCLT was not the right for them at this time. 

The way Vineet described it in his interview with the New York Times* is if someone came in for one job he would push them to consider what they would rather do.  Once he found something they might like better he would push them to do that instead.  If people did not “kick his butt” on why the job they were interviewing for was best he knew they hadn’t yet discovered their “True North”.

Think about this seriously.  Realize all the steps these people have been through before they meet the CEO.  Imagine how many times they have been affirmed that they were the right person for the job and then take a guess at how many “discovered for themselves” that the job they had worked so hard to get was not the right fit. 

• 10%
• 30%
• 50%
• Would you even imagine it would be 90%?

IDEAS IN ACTION

1. How many great potential employees already vetted by your team have you convinced to turn down the job?
2. If you did follow this process how would that change the way you other managers interviewed?
3. If peers were involved in the process wouldn’t they also feel a sense of confidence that they had been chosen because they were the right fit for the job?
4. Now apply this to your next board meeting.  You have all agreed on the next step in your “strategic plan”.  Do you then take the time to seriously debate an alternative? 

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If you have read Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman you will recognize that despite our best efforts to avoid the comfort and continuity of our System One thinking we all believe our own stories.  Vineet simply attacked the story and forced people to use their own System Two thinking to evaluate their choices.

 *http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/business/14cornerweb.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0