A popular definition of a 'manager' is 'some one who gets results through other people by making them successful'. If this is true, and experience seems to support it in practice, then one, if not the most, important skill any manager has to possess is the ability to choose the right people for the organization.

'Right' is a relative term. All organizations are different and constantly changing, so what is 'right' today, here, will be different then and elsewhere. This is just as well, or desirable employees would be in extremely high demand. The concept of 'right' in this case, is the challenge of matching a person to a known need at a specific point in time.

It seems elementary but we have to start with a clear definition of the characteristics of the position to be filled. This is omitted so often; popular practice appears to be "just tie a label on the job and let's get moving with the recruitment process". From here on, it's a matter of luck!

Every position or job can be described in terms of its essential 'dimensions' - areas of behavior and/or personal performance that are directly related to successful performance. There are three categories of dimensions, namely Intellectual / Technical; Experiential / Business; and Interpersonal / Relationships. The relative weight placed on each is a function of the job content and its level within the organization.

When it's clear what has to be done, the 'right' candidate becomes knowable. Judgement is a primary tool, but the judgment has to be based on the proper evidence. This is where Behavioral Interviewing is a powerful 'assist'. The premise is, 'If you ask the right questions, there's a possibility you could get the right answers; if you don't ask the right questions, there's no hope!'

Behavioral Interviewing works by predicting future success on the basis of past successes in a comparable setting. Since organizations do differ, the specific behaviors have to be broken down into the proper dimensions. Preparation is very important, and when done, the rest of the selection process falls neatly into place. Please go to our website where the process is described in full.

It is imperative that those conducting the interviews with prospective staff, possess a seasoned perspective. The best information when viewed through erroneous perspectives will deliver the wrong conclusions. How are your perspectives? Are you up to the challenge?

There's a personal and private diagnostic attached, together with a scoring rationale which could be of assistance to you, as well as to the others who are responsible for helping you to find, select and attract the 'right' people for your needs. Go ahead, give it a try - your success could depend on it!