If you started your company today, would you hire everyone currently on your payroll?
Your hiring managers and supervisors are the gatekeepers to your company’s future. So, how can you give them the “keys” to be successful — focus, ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement?
One way to help is getting everyone on the same page.
For example: developing a list of three to five overall employee characteristics you need to fulfill your Mission Statement. Then, those characteristics are in front of every hiring manager for every interview and are included on the interview evaluation form. Do your candidates match the characteristics you need to reach your goals?
21 Sample employee characteristics (choose 3 – 5)
| Integrity | Reliable | Persistence | Passionate | Ambitious |
| Team player | Self-starter | Leader | Independent | Instills trust |
| Happy | Focused | Inspires others | Problem solver | Flexible |
| Effective communicator | Positive attitude | Seeks improvement | Results oriented | Strong work ethic |
| Achieves goals | ||||
The idea above came from the CEO of a remarkably successful construction company. Once the company had established its five characteristics, he had the list laminated and carries it in his pocket every day. When visiting the company’s branches around the US, he talks with the managers about this list, which is always at hand.
