WorkPuzzle

Gallup Update: Languishing Still a Powerful Motivator for Career Change

If you’re a Tidemark client, you’ve heard Dave Mashburn frequently talk about workers “languishing” in the their jobs.   His observations have produced one of the maxims we use to source candidates for our clients:

The individuals most likely to consider career change are those who are languishing in their current jobs.

This observation is based upon research conducted by the Gallup Organization.  The initial study (conducted in 2000) painted a depressing picture of life in the American workforce.  Unfortunately, things are not getting much better.  The Silicon Valley Mercury News recently reported,  

“Seven out of 10 workers have ‘checked out’ at work or are ‘actively disengaged,’ according to a recent Gallup survey.

In its ongoing survey of the American workplace, Gallup found that only 30 percent of workers ‘were engaged, or involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their workplace.’ Although that equals the high in engagement since Gallup began studying the issue in 2000, it is overshadowed by the number of workers who aren't committed to  performing at a high level….

The poll, released last week, examined worker engagement beginning in 2010 and ending in 2012. The previous poll period covered 2008 through 2010.

The survey classifies three types of employees among the 100 million people in America who hold full-time jobs. The first is actively engaged, which represents about 30 million workers.  The second type of worker is "not engaged," which accounts for 50 million. These employees are going through the motions at work.

The third type, labeled "actively disengaged," hates going to work. These workers -- about 20 million -- undermine their companies with their attitude, according to the report.

The general consciousness about the importance of employee engagement seems to have increased in the past decade, but there is a gap between knowing about engagement and doing something about it in most American workplaces… 

The level of employee engagement over the past decade has been largely stagnant, according to researchers.”

How can a hiring manager use this information to be more successful at recruiting? 

First, recognize that almost all of the candidates you interview or otherwise engage in the hiring process are languishing in their current careers.

Secondly, use this information wisely.  We have written frequently in previous WorkPuzzles about every person’s need to be “heard” before he/she will be able to “hear” (i.e.. accept and internalize information) about any solutions you may offer.

Of course, you can talk about a number of topics during an interview (work history, career goals, strengths/weaknesses, etc.), but the one you’ll get the most mileage from is languishing. 

If you’re able to quickly steer a recruiting conversation to what’s going wrong in their current career (this typically take 20 to 30 minutes during an interview), you’ll earn the right to thoughtfully craft a solution that is tailored to their unique needs.

A final thing to consider as you contemplate the role of languishing in the hiring process: 

Some of the most talented and desirable people you could ever hope to hire are currently languishing in their careers.

The Gallup researchers went on to report:

“… different age groups and those with higher education levels reported more discontent with their workplace. Millennials…, for instance, are more likely to be 'actively disengaged' than other age groups. Employees with college degrees are also more likely to be running on auto pilot at work.”

This research is a goldmine for the real estate industry.  Most real estate companies know they must hire young, educated new agents to replace their aging workforces who will retire over the next decade.  

The top end of the Millennial generation will turn 31 years old this year.   Don’t miss the opportunity to engage and hire these individuals.  An understanding of languishing is a key building block to making that happen.

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Post Memorial Day Insight: To Do...Or...Not To Do

The WorkPuzzle gang has been a little slow in recovering after Memorial Day Weekend.  We'll be back to our normal publishing schedule next week. 

To wrap up this week, I thought I'd post something a little more eclectic than normal.  I found two "lists" this week that caught my attention.  Whenever I spend significant time away from the office, I tend to come back and question my priorities--what am I doing, and why am I doing it?  As I try to get back on track, rules that speak to priorities tend to resonate with me. 

The first list was orginally published in Reddit and was consolidated by Dina Spector, one of the Business Insider contributors.  It is an intriguing list of small things you can start doing to make yourself more healthy.  If you click through to the original article, most of the insights are documented with original research citations.

The second list is written by Jeff Hayden and published in Inc. Magazine. It is a list of things that you should immedietly elliminate from your daily routine. 

So, here is a slight adaptation Hamlet's famous question:  To do, or not to do.  That is the question.

To Do

1. Learn to drink your coffee black. Coffee is good for you (in moderation). Eliminating milk, cream, sugar, or flavorings will cut calories and maximize coffee's health benefits.

2. Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. This is an easy multi-tasking activity that can improve your balance. 

3. Spread avocado on your toast instead of butter. Avocados are a good source of healthy fats. The fleshy green fruit is a mainstay on the "superfood" list. 

4. Meditate for just 20 minutes a day.  At least a dozen executives swear by the relaxing technique.

5. Eat fruit instead of candy.  Candy is sweet because it contains processed sugar, usually high fructose corn syrup. Fruit is sweet because it contains natural sugar, while it's also rich in fiber and vitamins. 

6. Learn how to cook. You will eat healthier, save money on dining out, and boost your self-esteem armed with a new skill. 

7. Park farther away from your destination. This is an easy way to squeeze more physical activity into your daily routine. 

8. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. This will burn calories and tone leg muscles.

9. Shop on a full stomach. Studies show that people who snack before a grocery trip buy fewer unhealthy foods. 

10. Drink more water.  The benefits of staying hydrated are endless — healthier hair, skin, and more energy. Some fitness experts claim you can lose weight if you drink water before every meal. 

11. Turn off your phone from time to time. Occasionally unplugging can help stressed individuals achieve a state of complete relaxation. 

12. Read a book. Expand your knowledge, reduce stress, and briefly cut ties with the Internet. 

13. Walk faster. Power walking will help blast fat — and get you to your destination sooner. 

14. Eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread.  Whole wheat bread is higher in fiber than regular white bread. Fiber helps with digestion.

15. Moisturize daily. A good moisturizing regimen prevents dry, flaky skin.  

16. Stretch every day.  Studies have shown that, in addition to enhancing flexibility, stretching makes you stronger and increases endurance. 

17. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water and dry properly.This simple step gets rids of germs and drying off prevents the spread of bacteria.  

18. If you are a regular public transport user, get on the bus one stop later than usual, and get off off one stop earlier than usual. Walking burns calories, reduces anxiety, and strengthens bones. 

19. Wear sunscreen. You don't want skin cancer. And you don't want to look like this. 

 Not to Do

1. Check my phone while I'm talking to someone.  Stop checking your phone. It doesn't notice when you aren't paying attention.  Other people? They notice. And they care.

2. Multitask during a meeting. The easiest way to be the smartest person in the room is to be the person who pays the most attention to the room.

3. Think about people who don't make any difference in my life.  Trust me: The inhabitants of planet Kardashian are okay without you.

4. Use multiple notifications.  You don't need to know the instant you get an email. Or a text. Or a tweet. Or anything else that pops up on your phone or computer.  They can wait. You, and what is truly important to you, cannot.

5. Let the past dictate the future.  Mistakes are valuable. Learn from them. Then let them go.The past is just training. The past should definitely inform but in no way define you--unless you let it.

6. Wait until I'm sure I will succeed.  You can never feel sure you will succeed at something new, but you can always feel sure you are committed to giving something your best.

7. Talk behind someone's back.  If only because being the focus of gossip sucks. (And so do the people who gossip.)  Spend your time on productive conversations. You'll get a lot more done--and you'll gain a lot more respect.

8. Say "yes" when I really mean "no."  When you say no, at least you'll only feel bad for a few moments. When you say yes to something you really don't want to do you might feel bad for a long time--or at least as long as it takes you to do what you didn't want to do in the first place.

If you follow the advice on both of these lists, your summer will be off to a great start, and you'll be making investments in yourself that will pay dividends far beyond the next few months.

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Is Requesting a Resume a Good Idea for a Real Estate Agent Interview?

Over the last few years, we’ve worked with several real estate hiring managers who insist on seeing a resume before meeting with a candidate. When our account managers ask for an explanation, the conversation usually goes something like this:

"My time is valuable, so I want to make sure the person is both serious and qualified to become a real estate agent.” 

One manager recently said:

"If they can't send me a resume, I don't want to waste my time on them." 

Is this a good policy?  Let’s investigate the pros and cons of this stance.

First consider that every business practice is an expression of various underlying assumptions.  From that premise, let’s try to surmise what possible assumptions are being made in the “resume first” stance and then assess their validity. 

Assumption #1: Any candidate worth interviewing will have a resume handy and be eager to show it to me before a meeting. 

I want you to consider the best people who have entered and thrived in your organization. How many of them would have sent a resume or even had a resume handy when they were first hired?  How many of them would have come to an interview if you asked them for one?

It appears to me (for reasons I will go into below) that only the most desperate (and perhaps confused), would feel compelled to bring a resume to the first interview when considering becoming an independent contractor within the real estate industry. 

Assumption #2: You interviewing them is more important than them interviewing you.

This assumption is clearly communicated in the request for a resume. In many highly competitive corporate jobs where a salary, benefits, and security are provided, this is certainly to be expected. But, in the real estate industry, there is a different set of expectations. 

Most candidates know that becoming a real estate agent means signing up to invest significant resources to become an independent contractor.  From this perspective, it only makes sense that the first interview would be a two-way street of reciprocal respect.

Remember, you need great candidates as much as they need you. If, after the first interview, you have doubts about the person’s potential to perform, asking for a  resume would seem reasonable.  At this juncture, it makes sense to test a weak candidate’s follow-through or investigate their background.

But if you ask a savvy candidate for a resume, you run the risk of alienating them because they are often employed successfully and want to assess you (and the real estate career) before you assess them.  

Assumption #3 Your time is more important than their time.

Most working professionals do not have an updated resume in hand.  Most people do not prepare a resume until they are unemployed, or think they will soon be unemployed. I know many people who have never needed a resume because their reputation and professional performance speaks for itself.

How do you think the most capable candidates will respond to this request? Do you believe that they will spend the time necessary to prepare a resume just for you? They will only do so if you have earned the right to make such a request.  Instead, most candidates will interpret your request in one way:   "My time is more important than yours." 

Assumption #4: You're in the power position not them.

The very act of requesting a resume communicates a great deal about your assessment (or your insistence) of the balance of power in the relationship. You might as well be saying: "Yes... I think I'm more important than you".  Even in competitive corporate America when an important executive is being courted for hiring, the resume is not requested until it makes sense to everyone involved.

In order to attract the best candidates you must not assume this power position.  The relationship has to feel peer-to-peer, especially in the first meeting.  In my opinion, some managers who request resumes before the first interviews have issues around fearing vulnerability.  This technique may help them from exposing this apprehension.

Assumption #5 : You don't expect to interview successful candidates.

This assumption could be based on past experiences of interviewing terrible candidates. The problem with this assumption is that protecting against “wasting time” with unqualified candidates kills the chances of engaging better candidates in the future. It would be similar to a fisherman giving up casting because previous casts were unproductive.  Yes, he’ll save a lot of time.  But, the chances of catching fish have diminished to zero.

In our experience working with real estate hiring, about one third (33%) of interviews result in an engagement where the managers is truly excited about the candidate’s potential.  Of the third who fit into this category, usually one half (50%) of those candidates end up joining their team as an agent.   Working backwards on these percentages, it takes an average of six interviews to hire one high-potential “new to real estate” agent.*

If you disagree with my analysis of this problem, don't hesitate to let me know. I have been wrong before and expect I will be again. But, in my view so far, the basic rule of thumb is this: 

If you want to attract the best talent to your team, you must treat everyone, initially, like he/she might be the best candidate you've ever seen. 

*Note: The overall hire/interview percentage is higher than 17% (1 hire in 6 interviews) for most high- performing real estate organizations.  This happens because some of the “not-so-great candidates” also become agents.  Overall, high- performing real estate companies see 25% of their total interviews eventually convert to hires.  This data is based on the companies who are clients of Tidemark.

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Asking and Listening: The Magic Bullet of Interviewing and Hiring

I recently had the pleasure of visiting our long time clients at Prudential Carolinas, Prudential York Simpson Underwood, and Prudential Yost-Little Realty, all under the same roof in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I had spoken to this executive team and group of managers on at least two previous occasions and have always enjoyed our interactions. 

Part of my presentation involved a refresher course on the psychology of a good interview. Most of this section emphasizes the vital importance of listening to the candidate and eliciting as much information as possible during the first interview.  The process involves asking a lot of open-ended questions about who they are, what’s their story, what’s causing them to make a career change now, what they hope to gain from working, etc.

My emphasis on the power of listening comes from volumes of research on how people make decisions concerning any important topic in their lives. To emphasize this point I used several non-hiring examples such as dating or making an important purchase.

Think back to when you were dating—would you rather hear your dates drone on about themselves or ask some thoughtful questions along the way? When you buy a computer, do you want the tech-sales-geek to expound on all the details of each machine, or would you rather he ask a few questions first and then focus on your needs?

Here is a counter-intuitive principle that is true of all human interactions:  As people talk about themselves, they will learn more about themselves and feel more attached to you (the listener) in the process. 

No matter how many times I deliver this presentation, managers continue to report how difficult it is to put this into practice.  But, the group in North Carolina is starting to crack the code and seeing some incredible results.

During the presentation, one of the managers (Player Murray) gave the group some feedback on how this technique was working during his recent interviews.

"I'm not sure that I said much of anything in my last interview, and the candidate decided to come work for us!”

He went on to say that when he finally began to trust the process of first asking questions and listening, many interviews proceed with little need to describe much of what differentiates his company from others in the first interview.

"I am convinced that this is the number one principle to practice in the first meeting, and without it, I would not have hired many of the high quality candidates who came through HiringCenter.  They feel valued and connected when I listen to them first and foremost."

Player has learned the magic of asking and listening. He has seen first-hand how people become attached to those who are interested in them. He doesn't do this to be manipulative, he does it because it’s the right thing to do—that’s why it works. 

This story has been repeated with other managers across the country. Savvy, early-in-the- pipeline candidates who know little about the real estate industry will ask questions when they are ready. Even if they do ask some questions intially, don't be sucked into talking about yourself and your company too much.  Instead, answer briefly and get back to asking and listening.

In fact, here is a good rule of thumb:  Always assume you are not listening enough. At this point, you’ll probably be at the right level, and the magic will soon start happening in your interviews.

Question:  How have you learned to become a more effective listener (in interviews or other situations)? When using these techiques, how have you noticed your relationships change?    

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

The Equation for Achievement

We all spend a great deal of time trying to figure out the best possible ways to predict potential success in those we recruit and interview.

And we aren't alone.

Where there exists a big question, you can usually find big research. Many people within the field of psychology spend ample time and research dollars trying to predict the same.

While reading Martin Seligman's most recent book, called "Flourish," I am, once again, struck by how far research has come in boiling down "achievement" to its primary components.

The following is an excerpt of an article summarizing the research on this topic.

 "Many people think that if you are smart and have enough talent, you will succeed in fields such as sports, music, education and business.  When we think of great people in history such as Mozart, Edison, Confucius, and Shakespeare we hear about their talent and intelligence.

But true genius is being shown to be as much a product of grit as intelligence or skill. 

A study of genius (By Dr Angela L. Duckworth and Christopher Peterson) in twenty-one fields, including astronomy, music, mathematics, Eastern and Western philosophy, painting and literature showed that only two or three giants stand way ahead in each of these fields, a few top performers outdistance the rest by a huge amount. 

For example, in the publication of scientific papers, very few people publish many papers, but the majority of scientists publish none or only one.  In golf, only three golfers have won sixty or more PGA tournaments (Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods). Greatness and high achievement are reserved for only a few. It is their grittiness, as well as their intelligence and skill that caused their success.

The equation that predicts success is: (Skill) x (Effort) = Achievement.  

Martin Seligman, a well known academic and psychologist, in his recent book “Flourish,” points to a a great deal of research that shows achievement can be understood and predicted by the following four factors.

SPEED: Seligman calls this ‘Fast’ and it is the sheer speed of your thought about a task.  This involves how much and how quickly you have access to relevant knowledge on the task. It is hard to develop this. You either have it or you don’t.

MINDFULNESS: He calls this ‘Slow’.  This is the ability to call up memories, plan, check, review and be creative in examining and exploring the task.  This can be learned through meditation and mindfulness practices such as walking, eating with attention, and breath awareness.

RATE OF LEARNING: The faster your rate of learning, the more knowledge you can accumulate about the area.  This is different from sheer speed of thought.  This occurs by being involved in new, challenging, and tight time-lined projects and through reviewing “lessons learned.”

EFFORT: Time on task.  This is the time spent on doing or practicing the task and multiplies the skill available in achieving the goal.  It also adds to speed since more time spent on a task results in more knowledge of it.

Research has shown that extraordinary achievement in sports, chess, music, writing and business is not just talent or IQ but the amount of hours you practice something.  If you want to be great at something practice it for 60 hours a week for 20 years!"

When reading the literature, I am left with questions I believe we all need to be asking if we expect to continue learning, growing, and getting better at what we do: 

1. Can you find both sides of this equation being lived out in those you know who have succeeded? 

2. Does it clearly differentiate workers who succeed from those who don't? 

3. Did the successful individuals come with one or both characteristics, or did they develop them?

4.  Do people lose either side of the equation with time? If so ,how and why?

5.  Can you teach this equation in a way where it will inspire people to develop a growth mindset and better pursue both sides of the equation?

6.  Are there components of the equation that are missing? (i.e. interests, signature strengths or innate wiring etc.)

Let me know your answers or other questions that I might be missing.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Why "Career Seminars" Will Always Be Inferior to One-on-One Interviews

One of the questions we often get from hiring managers is:

“Are one-on-one interviews really necessary in the real estate hiring process?”

What’s implied in this question (and usually comes out later in the discussion) is that it might be more efficient to conduct group interviews with several candidates at once rather than one-on-one interviews.

The line of reason is that interviews take a lot of time, and many early stage candidates are not serious about making a career change.  The group interview is a great way to “weed-out” those who are not truly interested or unqualified.

In a real estate company, this “group interview” usually takes the form of a career seminar.  It typically is an informational meeting where the company describes the benefits of changing careers and becoming a real estate agent.  At the end of the meeting, there’s typically some call to action (sign-up for licensing school, schedule a follow-up meeting with a hiring manager, etc.) that encourages the candidate to move forward in the process.

For years, we’ve recommended not using this methodology for interfacing with the majority of candidates.  There is nothing wrong with running an occasional career seminar for those who truly want information about a real estate career.  However, using this tool as a replacement or precursor to one-on-one interviews has not proven to be a best practice for recruiting high quality individuals.

Outside of the empirical data that we collected on this topic (ie. most real estate companies consistently hire 40% to 60% “D” performers using traditional hiring techniques such as career seminars), I could not put my finger on the psychology of why the “group interview concept” was inferior until last week.  I found this insight in an odd place—a coaching article written by Ed Batista.

I’ve read Ed Batista’s blog for several years, but I usually gain insight from a coaching perspective, not a recruiting perspective.   Ed is a successful executive coach and an instructor and leadership coach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.  His business is coaching, but in the process of explaining coaching concepts he reveals a lot about the psychology of people.

The particular blog that peaked my interest was titled:  Spending Attention.  In this discussion, Ed makes the point that focused attention is one of the most powerful forces made available to human beings—both from a giving and receiving perspective.

“Focused attention is our most precious resource, because 1) it's extremely taxing on our intellectual and emotional capabilities, 2) it can have a amazingly powerful effect on its object, and 3) it can't be subdivided. (We can pay continuous partial attention to multiple objects simultaneously, but we can truly focus on only one object at any given moment.)

Much of what I do as a coach and as an experiential educator at Stanford involves nothing more than devoting my full attention to another person. This is somewhat easier in a one-on-one coaching session with a client or student, and it's somewhat harder in a group setting, but under any circumstances it's a challenging task that's almost always worth the effort.”

So, what does this have to do with interviewing?  There’s something  powerful that happens to an individual when they receive another person’s full attention.  Ed puts it this way:

“… devoting our full attention to someone can be a novel experience for both of us that in and of itself stimulates something useful in the interaction. The other person feels seen, heard, recognized, validated, appreciated or challenged in ways that partial attention never generates. And as we momentarily quiet our inner voice, we suddenly become aware of so many things that we missed before--not only about the other person and our environment, but also about ourselves. The subtler, more elusive thoughts and feelings that are usually drowned out by the louder currents can now be heard.”

It’s obvious that humans crave focused attention.  In the hiring process, the best chance of making this happen is in a one-on-one interview. 

By the way, just because a person is sitting across the desk from you, doesn’t mean focused attention will happen (read the rest of Ed’s blog to learn more about how you can become effective at giving focused attention). 

But, focused attention is almost guaranteed NOT to happen in a group interview/career seminar setting.

A high quality candidate wants and deserves the focused attention of the hiring manager during the hiring process.  If this element is missing, the high quality candidates will exit the hiring process. 

When the high quality candidates leave the hiring process, all you’re left with are desperate candidates who believe they deserve no better than a career information session. 

Of course there are exceptions to this rule (I’m sure some of you will write me about how you hired your best agent ever through a career information session), but you won’t win the hiring game by betting on the exceptions.  In the long run, the time and effort you put into one-on-one interviews will pay off.

Question:  What techniques have you found effective in making candidates feel they have your focused attention during an interview?

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Making Your Interviews Memorable (For the Candidate)

Over the last couple of years, we’ve written more than 40 blogs that that cover the topic of interviewing.  While there is much research available on this topic, some of the best ideas and insights have come from our readers.  Today, I’d like to share another one these insights. 

Al Mirabelli is the Broker in Charge of the Prudential Carolinas Lake Norman Office.  His office is located in Huntersville, North Carolina.  A couple of weeks ago, a candidate that had recently interviewed in Al’s office sent their company’s recruiting coordinator the following email: 

“Yesterday’s meeting was great.  From the time I walked in (amazing the effect of seeing your own name with balloons) till the time I left, I could see why Prudential Carolinas Reality would be a great place to work and a good fit for me.  I have a few offers on the table right now. Prudential feels like the best fit for me. I would just need a day or to to go over finances to make sure it would be possible right now.”  

This peaked my interest.  What did the candidate mean when he said, “amazing the effect of seeing your own name with balloons?” 

Al provided some background later that week,

“At the entrance foyer of the lobby to my office I have a small [whiteboard easel] that welcomes candidates and other visitors to my office.  During the day of this candidate’s interview, we happen to be welcoming a local group of builders to our office who are partnering with some of our agents and attached some balloons to the whiteboard.  It was such a hit that they ended up taking a picture on their way out.  They later said they were very flattered that we would do such a thing.”

Apparently, the candidate was flattered as well and made a point of mentioning it to the recruiting coordinator during a follow-up call.

Who knew that such a simple thing would have such a great impact?  I must admit, that I was even a little skeptical when I heard this story.   Maybe this candidate was just overstating their feelings in the initial email.   

But, then I received this email a week later from Prudential Carolina’s recruiting coordinator:

“I thank you very much for allowing me to meet Al.  He definitely has passion for the business, which drew me in.  He was wonderful and the entire workforce was very courteous. 

They even had my name on a white board upon entry that said "Welcome [Candidate’s Name]."  It was great!  I plan on working at Prudential and learning the skills necessary so that I can be extremely successful in the field.  So with my ambitious nature and all the information that Al provided to me, I will be successful.”

[Note:  I removed/blurred the candidate’s names in the emails and pictures because we did not get their permission to share their identity]

Al and his staff are onto something—don’t you think?  I believe that Al has figured out how to tap a basic human need—the need for acknowledgment.

I recently read that acknowledgement lets people know that you have truly seen them.  It communicates we have taken the time to pay attention, to notice, and to speak out loud what they contribute, what they accomplish, and some of who they are at their best.

Al—great job on figuring this out and applying it to your interview process!  I hope others will try this as well.

Question:  Do you have interviewing techniques that you’ve found helpful.  If so, share them with us, and we’ll publish your ideas.

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

The Progress Principle

Since reading the books "Flow" and "Finding Flow" summarizing the empirical research of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, I constantly think about improving work tasks and how to keep them from being too boring or anxiety producing. 

The book, "The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work" by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, does an excellent job reminding us what goes on inside the heads of those we are responsible for and how to improve their engagement at work. Analyzing nearly 12,000 diary entries, provided by 238 employees in 7 companies, the authors explain how managers can cultivate progress and enhance work life. 

 The diaries themselves can provide insight to the inner turmoil people experience, and that alone might be worth the price of the book. However, the real value comes in their insightful recommendations. Not only are the recommendations well worth considering, but existing research also agrees with the suggestions.

 In the book, the authors demonstrate how to remove obstacles to progress, such as pointless tasks and toxic relationships, how to enable progress, using clear goals matched with autonomity, and how to nourish interpersonal events that demonstrate respect and foster collegiality. 

 The following video is rather long, at 18 minutes, but, if you have the time on an upcoming flight, it may be worth a look. 

 

  

Knowing how to get and keep your team engaged may  qualify as one of the top three tasks of being a leader. You can work on many other factors, but, if you have disengaged workers, the progress will be slow.

Question:  Are you able to keep those around you engaged?  Share the techniques that you've found effective in keeping those on your team engaged.

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Successfully Influencing “New to Real Estate” Candidates to Make a Career Change

One of the questions we often get from hiring managers is…”How do I consistently get high quality candidates to make the commitment to become real estate agents?” 

As we observe this process, it always seems the best candidates are on the fence because they don’t have to become agents.  Since they have talent and marketable skills, they usually have the option of doing something else.  Often, that “something else” is just staying in their current job or career field.

How do you get these candidates off the fence and headed towards becoming your next top performing agents? 

According to new research recently published in Harvard Business Review, keep them focused on a great outcome they will personally realize if they become real estate agents.

The research on this topic was conducted by Dr. Mark Goulston and Dr. John Ullmen and is summarized in a new book called Real Influence: Persuade Without Pushing, Gain Without Giving In.   Here is a excerpt from the HBR article:

“ Few people like to be pushed into doing something, or sold hard on it. And few like to push or deliver a hard sell. But at the end of the day, or even the end of a conversation, you do have to move things forward. So how do effective leaders really get things done?

As part of the research…[we] interviewed more than 100 people who "get things done," but who aren't pushy. But when we asked them, "Who persuaded you to do something really important?" more than a few arched their backs and replied defensively, "Nobody persuaded me to do anything important!"

When we switched tactics and asked, "Well then who positively influenced you to become the person you are?" they leaned back, smiled, took a deep breath of satisfaction and replied, "Now that's a different story!"

This small change in perspective seemed to help the researchers uncover several consistent and repeatable patterns among great influencers.  As a hiring manager, these patterns could be very helpful—don’t you think?

I won’t steal the author’s thunder by revealing all their secrets, but I did find one of their techniques very compelling:  Great influencers learn to communicate great outcomes.

“When people paint a picture of a great outcome, they're not trying "to persuade people to do something important." They're trying to "positively influence them" to get them to a better place.

Take the story of Jim Sinegal, co-founder and former CEO of Costco, largely seen as the heart and soul of that great company. Jim is very humble and doesn't like to be given too much credit for his and Costco's success.

He often tells the story of how, as a recovering juvenile delinquent still headed in the wrong direction, he was working as a bagger at FedMart in San Diego. One day he was singled out by the legendary Sol Price, the founder of FedMark who is viewed as the father of the warehouse store concept.

Price saw beyond where Jim was, even beyond where he wanted to be, to where and who he could be — and focusing on that "great outcome" let him influence Jim, even as others had failed to persuade him. Price's dedication to customer value and the caring treatment of employees lived on through Jim and is so ingrained in the Costco culture that those values live on beyond his stewardship as CEO.”

For a real estate hiring manager, there is an important lesson in this approach. If you try to persuade someone to take the next logical step in their work life (ie. become a real estate agent), you’ll likely come across as “salesy” and meet resistence.  

But, if you effectively “paint a picture of a great outcome” for the candidate during the interview (and consistently during the follow-up process), the research suggests that this will produce a different result.   You’ll become a positive influencer rather than a ineffective persuader.

Question:  What type of “great outcomes” do you think would be compelling to the candidates you are interviewing?

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Engage in the WorkPuzzle discussion by joining the TMOC private social network.  Commenting on a public blog like WorkPuzzle can be a little intimidating, so why not join the discussion inside the privacy of the TMOC discussion group?  

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Risk Averse is Life Averse

About 12 years ago, I was burned out in my work-life.  At the time, I found it difficult to maintain almost any degree of excitement towards my daily routine. This was a new feeling for me. Up to this point, I had found it easy to capture enthusiasm towards my work. 

What caused this situation to develop?  There were probably several factors. Part of the issue was related to a transition at home.  I was being freed up from many parenting duties (I had one child in college and two more about to enter), and the nature of my role was changing.  

During that period (that I have since referred to as "Dave's Doldrums"), I was introduced to an exercise that eventually helped free me from those very doldrums. The task was called the "Sage Letter." 

I know it sounds a bit far out, and I usually avoid anything that remotely smells of pop psychology.  But I was desperate, and I thought I'd give it a try.

The exercise involved imagining myself as an 85-year-old man looking back at the events of my life. From that perspective, I wrote a letter of advice to myself at my current age (I was 40 at the time).  I know this sounds simple, but it actually takes some time to write such a letter.  I had to seriously dive headlong into this somewhat bizarre task of "becoming" this 85-year-old man. 

I eventually knew that I had arrived at the "right place" when I truly felt confronted with an actual 85-year-old version of myself.  I started uncovering my hidden blind spots and aversion to risk. The pure wisdom of brutal honesty suddenly poured out on the page.  I started to understand why I was experiencing these doldrums, and I could see how much self-sabotage was going on in my life.

This exercise helped me gain some much-needed clarity. The primary insight I experienced was an awareness of the risk aversion that had crept into my life. It had not been there before, but had slowly and insidiously developed.  But, it didn't stop there. The letter also revealed hidden truths about how to improve my marriage, my friendships and my spiritual life. 

Since that experience, I cut back on my private practice, began a consulting company, taught graduate classes at a local university, started leading a ministry at my Church, and helped start Tidemark and see it grow.  My energy and enthusiasm for life returned.

Why am I disclosing all this?  It's because I recently ran across some research explaining the risk aversion that I had felt during this critical juncture in my life.   It is actually quite common and typically happens during an individual’s child rearing years.  The result is a "freezing" of the ability a person has to thoughtfully make big life decisions and it later leads to a profound sense of regret. 

The research was summarized in a recent book, 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans, written by Karl Pillemer, a human ecology professor at Cornell University. Dr. Pillemer spent five years interviewing more than 1000 Americans who are over 65 years old. 

In the book, he distills their wisdom into principles on work, life, marriage, parenting, and other topics. He also describes how many of these elderly people regret having been risk averse earlier in their lives. 

In the next edition, I'll share more about this research.  But in the mean time,  I'd like you to think about how this relates to the people you interview, recruit and manage. Who could you advise to use the "Sage Letter" exercise? Or, maybe it is time you give it a try to yourself.   

Question:  Are there any opportunities you missed in your professional life because you were risk adverse?  What did you learn from the experience?

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.