That's a Lot of Work to Do Only to Fail!

Posted by Ann Deaton Share Your Voice

I was talking to a friend today about how hard he is working to recruit the right talent for his financial services company. And then another friend emailed me an article from the financial section of the Wall Street Journal (FINSWire) saying that almost half of new hires fail within the first year. That mind-boggling rate is despite the fact that the successful candidate has typically been interviewed by over a dozen decision-makers before being hired. Wow! That is a lot of work, for both applicant and recruiting company, if it doesn't pay off for their long term success working together.

According to the article, there are some best practices that can enhance the likelihood of success, and most of them have to do with people skills, building self awareness, and alignment between the individual's values and the culture of the organization. That came as no surprise to me, since every time I've worked with a person considering leaving an organization it is because of poor alignment between them and their boss, or between them and the culture of the company. Similarly, when I work with organizations to retain their top talent and enhance their leaders' skills, the focus is almost always on helping leaders with soft skills such as listening, managing their emotions, and telling compelling stories that inspire and motivate others.

If you are someone who's hoping to improve the likelihood of a successful match between new hire and organization, or to retain your top talent as the economy improves, some tremendous resources are available:

• One tool is the classic book on Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, now in its 10th anniversary edition. This readable, engaging resource offers an understanding of why the most successful people are self aware and aware of others, and are consciously noticing how they manage their own emotions and how they connect with those aroung them.
• Individual and Leadership Team coaching are also increasingly sought as ways to help leaders and teams work effectively together. According to UK Coach Jonathan Passmore, "At the heart of coaching lies the idea of empowering people by facilitating self-directed learning, personal growth, and improved performance." Coaching, then, is an investment that continues to reap benefits over time.

How can you develop your self awareness and soft skills?

What impact will this have on your success?

How will the changes you make affect those around you?

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Ann Deaton I am a leadership coach, and Managing Partner in Bounce. I love to coach and facilitate with individuals and systems experiencing significant change and growth. The clients I work with, regardless of their age or position, are talented and creative individuals willing to look with fresh eyes at their challenges and opportunities, and to take action based on their discoveries. As a result, they find that they are capable of accomplishing far greater things than they ever imagined. What do you want to accomplish today? Who do you want to be?