“Have you found me the best person out there?”
So often in my career I have been confronted with the requirement of clients looking for the “best” – urging me to do whatever possible to secure these ‘mythical beasts’.
But, increasingly, I am working with organisations and individuals who speak a different language – one that sits very well, and which I can completely buy into. They are not looking for the best; they want the “right person”.
But surely this is one and the same thing you might say?
Actually not. Because the individual with the ‘best’ skills, talent, experience (i.e. the one who has the most expertise in one or other area) may not – despite this expertise – be right for your organisation.
It’s not that your organisation is deserving of less than any another; it is simply that people and culture are not an exact science. And the best and brightest are not always the right fit.
We can all cite examples of how the ‘right’ people added incredible value. And similarly share disasters of how people with spectacular CVs just crashed and burned.
Because when the fit is ‘out’, then it really doesn’t matter how exceptional the individual is. A poor fit is just not ‘right’.
So focus on hiring ‘right’ , as opposed to the ‘best’. Sounds simple – but it’s not; which is why I insist on getting to know more about your organisation, its culture and you.
– Michelle Bedford-Shaw
Principal Consultant