Last Minute Rejection

The other day I was having breakfast with a friend of mine who is the head of HR for a global firm headquartered in Chicago.  He commented that to his surprise and consternation, a number of highly qualified job candidates had changed their minds after accepting an offer from his firm. 

This seems puzzling given today’s job market and the fact that in any economy and by any measure, this prestigious company would be an employer of choice.  Two possible explanations come to mind:

1.  Those candidates who are employed elsewhere might be concerned that if they leave their current employer and the new job doesn’t work out, they’ll find themselves unemployed in the midst of the worst economic downturn they’ve ever seen.  Even if they’re dissatisfied with their current job they may opt to stick with the familiar rather than risk the unknown.  If so, employers might want to ask themselves “how can we minimize the unknowns for the candidate?”   At some point during the interview process, consider asking candidates the following questions:

“How can we help you get a clearer sense of what it will be like working here/being on this team/reporting to this person?”

“We want you to feel confident that you’ll thrive here.  Is there anything about this opportunity that has you concerned?"

2.  Some candidates advance through the interview process with a singular focus on getting the job without paying close enough attention to whether it’s the right job for them.  Once the offer is in hand they’re forced to quickly assess whether or not it is truly what they want.  Employers might want to ask themselves “how can we help candidates be honest with themselves – as early as possible in the process – about whether or not this is a good fit?"   At some point during the interview process, consider asking candidates one or both of these questions:

“We want you to be sure that this position would be a good fit for you.  How can we help you assess that?"

“Is there anything we can do (or any information we can provide) to help you make sure that this opportunity is right for you?”

Fear of the unknown, and failing to be honest with oneself – two all-too-human foibles that prevent candidates from making a good decision and sticking with it.  Thoughtful questioning during the interview process can help mitigate the impact of these two factors and lessen the likelihood that a candidate will back out at the last minute. 

Employee Training? It's Not Always The Solution

I'm frequently asked by companies to provide training on management and leadership topics; just as frequently I politely decline.  Typically the request takes the form “can you do a presentation for our managers about conflict management/anger management/performance management", etc.  The request is usually accompanied by a complaint about one or two managers who have been ineffective or behaving badly.  So the knee-jerk response is to throw training dollars at the situation.  Sorry, but you simply can’t rely on a workshop to train someone to be a better manager or leader.  Training, particularly using a workshop format, is generally of little value when it comes to improving non-technical performance or bringing about complex behavior change.  Adults learn differently than children do.  No matter how much time and money is spent training people, we know that the best results are achieved when the participant is actively engaged at both the intellectual level and the emotional level.  Hands-on, experiential based learning is typically much more effective than lectures, reading material, or videos.  That’s why executive coaching is a more suitable option for dealing with poor management.  The process requires face-to-face challenging discussions and real-time exercises – activities that are beyond the scope of a training workshop.     

360-Degree Surveys: When Feedback Backfires

360° surveys are widely used in business to provide candid feedback to key employees.  They can be a powerful developmental tool, but to maximize their utility you need to use a well-crafted survey instrument.  To avoid doing more harm than good, you should have a solid feedback process . . .

No psychological test can think for itself; the results have to be interpreted and the feedback has to be provided in a thoughtful, meaningful way that the individual can make use of.  The same thing goes for 360's.  The 360 might get a person's attention, but it's the feedback that helps move a person from point A to point B. 

Most people readily accept feedback that's consistent with who they believe themselves to be.  The challenge is to help them appreciate feedback that differs from how they see themselves.  In situations like this, people don't always react very well, and in some cases they manifest significant psychological distress. 

Kenneth Nowack is the author of an interesting article that appeared in the December 2009 edition of the Consulting Psychology Journal.  He discussed research that reveals the possible risks and dangers of multi-rater feedback:

Some studies show that individuals can experience strong discouragement and frustration when multi-rater feedback is not as positive as they expected.  In one study, managers who received a large number of negative comments reacted with a significant decline in their performance.  In another study, managers who rated themselves higher than others had more negative reactions to the feedback process, had lower motivation to improve, and were significantly less likely to show improvement when they were reassessed.

Ratings between different rater groups aren't always consistent; direct reports, peers, and supervisors tend to have differing perspectives.  These differences can be confusing to recipients.  Without guidance, they may be unable to make sense of the discrepant results and they may be unsure how and where to focus their behavior change efforts. 

Individuals with low self esteem (e.g. those who are depressed) tend to dwell on negative 360 ratings.  By focusing so much on their perceived shortcomings, it makes it harder for them to make constructive use of positive elements in the 360° feedback.  Conversely, those who think too highly of themselves don't always benefit from 360° feedback either.

Clearly, 360° feedback should be provided by a trained professional who is aware of these potential pitfalls.  You can't just hand people their results, because the feedback can be interpreted in so many ways that aren't helpful.  If improved performance is the goal, research shows that follow-up coaching sessions should also be provided to help individuals get the most out of the 360° experience. 

As a psychologist, I'm used to helping people take a more brutally honest, genuine look at themselves.  Call me at (312) 787-9620 if you'd like more information about getting the most from the 360° survey process.

If Human Nature Doesn't Change, Why Not Focus On What We Already Know?

In 2011 I’d like to propose that we resist the temptation to chase the latest, greatest employee development and management trends.  My friends, human nature has not changed in quite some time and yet so many of us are hypnotically drawn to whatever new workplace notion is touted at conferences and workshops.  No matter if it’s untested, unproven, or even just repackaged jargon, if it’s hyped enough it becomes state-of-the-art or a best practice.  Sadly we seem to be ignoring decades of behavioral science research about what makes people tick, in favor of slickly packaged presentations and webinars promising improved workplace performance.

In 2011, let’s leave alignment to our auto mechanic and engagement to couples in love.  Instead let’s revisit established psychological concepts like motivation, reinforcement, and yes, even self-esteem.  Let’s stop spinning our wheels, chasing our tails, and in many cases wasting time and money.  We simply don’t need new concepts every year to describe or enhance human behavior in the workplace.   Let’s take advantage of existing wisdom, of what is already known about human behavior.