Just do it!

Hiring employees who will “just do it”

In early 2005, a global computer manufacturer sacked its CEO, chairman and president. No, it didn’t sack three people, just one individual who was hogging all the top job titles but didn’t do a lick of productive work.

Traditionally, companies hired people based on their academic qualification, experience and job competence. Candidates were considered suitable so long as they had the desired education (preferably an MBA), the number of years in a similar job and the know-how to do the job at hand. Yet, as the case in the global company illustrated, even when all three criteria fit, more often than not, the new employee turned out to be all wrong!

What was missing is the fourth, and most important criterion: work attitude.

Many HR executives are now coming around to the view that attitude matters in the hiring process. As long as the candidates have the requisite skills, you should concentrate on their attitude towards the company, towards their colleagues, and towards executing the task set for them. The person with the desired attitude in these three areas is worth his or her weight in stock options.

1. Attitude towards the company and its business

You don’t have to demand that prospective employees love your company, but you should expect them to at least have a strong liking for it.

So, go ahead, look the various candidates in the eye and ask: Do you love my company, and the way we do business?

It doesn’t sound very scientific, but then running a business isn’t scientific. It’s an art, and like all arts, it requires strong emotional commitment. Ask successful entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates – they love their company, sincerely and unashamedly.

2. Attitude towards colleagues

Something is obviously wrong when you hire a CEO or senior manager and their first task of the day is to recommend sacking existing staff.

Running a business is, of course, different from running a charity. You are in it for profit. Nonetheless you can be efficient and realistic (i.e. profit-driven), AND compassionate (especially to subordinates who can’t protect themselves).

This may sound trite but if you show faith, commitment and respect towards your fellow workers, especially those in the bottom half of the food chain, they will reciprocate by showing faith, commitment and respect towards you and your business. The reason is simple: people who know they have a long-term future with the company, want to help ensure that future is as viable as possible.

Consider these everyday thefts in any office: pinching stationery and inflating expense claims. If employees have a sincere concern and respect for their company, it is unlikely they would steal office supplies or cheat in their claims.

3. Attitude towards executing the task at hand

While it is straightforward to see whether junior staff actually perform the tasks set for them, it is quite difficult to do so for senior managers. The van driver must deliver goods twice a day. The production girl must assemble five laptops in an hour. But vice-presidents, directors and CEO have their work performance camouflaged with “business development”, “vision”, “strategic alliances”, and “accelerating execution of the company’s strategy”. It is difficult to pin them down on how much and how well they are implementing and executing their day-to-day assignments.

In most cases, the actual execution of any task is not difficult. As one sports shoe company likes to tell customers: Just do it. The trouble with senior people is that they are too busy attending meetings, speaking at seminars, showing Powerpoints and being interviewed by the press. They don’t have time, interest or attitude to “just do it”.

Just do it seems so mundane, so ordinary, so like washing dishes or moping the floor. For self-important people, it’s more satisfying to “talk the talk and walk the talk”, but not to do the talk.