Behaviour drives performance

18 / Apr / 2024

Yet most hiring managers obsess about trailing indicators such as qualifications, experience and results.

To successfully hire performers, you need to know what behaviours you need and more importantly how to measure them.

By: Craig Elvin

image of an executive accompanying blog on how Behaviour drives performance

Behaviour drives performance

Positive behaviours drive performance yet most hiring managers obsess about trailing indicators such as qualifications, experience and results.

To successfully hire performers, you need to know what behaviours you need and more importantly how to measure them.

Qualifications will suggest that someone has the technical capability to do the job.

Experience can be beneficial as it is likely to mean that they have done the job in the past.

It may mean that they know things about their role and industry, which could assist them or you in delivering the role they will have, what the dictionary describes as “contact with and observation of facts or events”

But it is the innate attitudes and behaviours of the individual that will drive them to act in a way that will make them successful in their role within your organisation.

How can you apply this in your world?

Cristiano Ronaldo has vast experience of playing in the Champions League.

Let me give an example. He has practised and practised his free kicks to the extent that you could say he is qualified if such a diploma existed.

However, it is his tenacity and determination, his relentless pursuit of perfection that drives him to perform at the highest level, to motivate his teammates and continue to run for 90 minutes and beyond.

That is what makes him the dominant force in world football and a several time Ballon d’Or winner.

For the less sports obsessed….

A lawyer will study for years, first at university and then their Bar exams.

Once they have their qualifications they will start as Associates before being given minor cases to build their experience before they make Partner and take on their caseloads.

It is their fact orientated, logical and patient selves that help them to excel and become Senior Partners.

Both of these are broad generalisations but highlight my point, behaviour drives performance.

What does this look like for Chief Executive Officers

When I meet with CEOs, Chairmen or business Owners, they go to great lengths to describe the confident, goal-orientated, charismatic leaders they need to drive the company’s revenue increase.

Or the diligent, structured analytical Finance Director they need to provide a sound financial plan and forecast to the shareholders.

What surprises me most is when I ask them how they are measuring the traits they want and need so badly.

Often, I get one of two reactions.

Either a look confusion as they don’t know such a measurement is possible or worse still, they tell me they’ll know it when they see it.

They have a great “gut feel”.

The last guy they hired – who they hired because they had a good feeling about them – worked out brilliantly.

These people conveniently forget the other nine hires that failed spectacularly when they used their “intuition”.

While this is a short article with some sweeping generalisations, I hope it has illustrated my point that behaviour drives performance.

Hiring?

If you are making a senior and or leadership hire in your organisation, I would strongly recommend using behavioural profiling to better understand the role and your organisation’s needs.

This will ensure your candidate has those behaviours to excel.

Otherwise, you could be counting the cost of another bad hire.

Click here to view our vlog about the cost of a bad hire, or here to view our bad hire calculator.

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Behaviour drives performance

Behaviour drives performance

How can you apply this in your world?

What does this look like for Chief Executive Officers

Hiring?

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