Written by: Greg Weiss
Recruiting and hiring the right people is often regarded as one of the most daunting challenges for a business, especially when it’s in a phase of rapid growth or scaling. As an entrepreneur or HR manager, how do you ensure that the individuals you bring on board are not only skilled but also the right fit for a company that’s undergoing constant evolution?
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Enter the GWC™ model, part of the EOS™ framework. The GWC™ acronym stands for Get it, Want it, and Capacity to do it, and it’s an invaluable tool for any business seeking to refine its hiring strategy. Let’s dive into each of these components and explore how they can guide your recruiting efforts for a scaling business.
1. Get It The “Get it” component refers to a potential hire’s innate understanding of their role and its demands. For a scaling business, this isn’t just about knowing the basics of a job description. It involves a deep comprehension of how their role ties into the larger objectives of a growing company. For instance, a marketing executive in a startup might need to be more agile and willing to experiment than one in a mature, large-scale enterprise. They should “get” that the nature of the job will demand wearing multiple hats, sometimes even on the same day! Actionable Tip: During the interview process, present real-life scenarios or challenges that your scaling business has faced. Gauge the candidate’s reaction to understand if they truly “get” the dynamics of a growing firm. 2. Want It A candidate might “get” what the role involves but do they truly “want” it? Passion and motivation can often differentiate a good hire from a great one, especially in a scaling environment where the dynamics can change rapidly. Someone who genuinely wants the job will not only fulfill their role but will often go above and beyond. This enthusiasm can manifest in various ways – from a keenness to learn and adapt, to proactively suggesting improvements, or even mentoring newer team members as the business grows. Actionable Tip: Look for cues in a candidate’s past behavior. Have they consistently chosen roles or projects that align with your job’s demands? Have they shown resilience and drive in their previous endeavors, indicating a genuine desire to thrive in their role? 3. Capacity to Do It This is the more tangible part of the equation. Does the candidate have the skills, knowledge, and experience to execute their role effectively? For scaling businesses, however, there’s an added layer to this – adaptability. The capacity to learn and grow with the company is as crucial as having the right skills on day one. Actionable Tip: Besides the traditional skills assessment, consider introducing tasks or tests that measure adaptability and problem-solving in new or evolving scenarios. This can give you a glimpse into how a potential hire might navigate the unique challenges of a scaling business. Tailoring GWC™ for Scaling Businesses: As a business grows, its needs evolve. The kind of people who are perfect for a startup might differ from those ideal for a mid-sized enterprise on the verge of becoming a major industry player. The GWC™ model, while universally applicable, should be tailored to suit the specific stage and nature of your business. For instance, in the initial stages of scaling, you might prioritize the “Want it” aspect more, looking for passionate individuals who can drive growth. But as you stabilize, the “Capacity to do it” might take precedence, emphasizing more on specialized skills. Conclusion: Scaling businesses are unique ecosystems with their own set of challenges and opportunities. Hiring the right people, who not only have the skills but also the mindset to thrive in such an environment, can be the difference between fleeting success and sustainable growth. The GWC™ model offers a structured approach to this, ensuring that you recruit individuals who understand, desire, and have the capacity to propel your business forward. As you navigate the exhilarating journey of growth, let GWC™ be your compass in the realm of recruiting. Subnote: The GWC™ model, as mentioned, is a simple yet effective tool for assessing potential hires based on their understanding, desire, and capacity for a role. Similar tools and frameworks have been developed over the years to streamline the recruitment process, help in leadership assessment, and ensure the right fit for a role. Here are some other tools and concepts that are somewhat analogous in nature: The STAR Technique: This stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. It’s a method used by interviewers to assess a candidate’s past behavior and competencies in different situations. By asking STAR questions, recruiters can get concrete examples of how candidates handled specific situations, shedding light on their potential future performance. DISC Assessment: This is a behavior assessment tool that categorizes individuals into one or more of four personality types: Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S), and Conscientiousness (C). Understanding a candidate’s DISC profile can help in assessing their fit for a team or role. Predictive Index (PI): PI is a suite of talent optimization tools. Their Behavioral Assessment tool, for example, measures four primary characteristics of personality: dominance, extraversion, patience, and formality. The tool helps businesses understand the natural behavioral drives of their employees and candidates. StrengthsFinder: Developed by Gallup, this tool allows individuals to discover their top strengths. It can be used in organizations to ensure that individuals are placed in roles that play to their inherent strengths. 9-Box Grid: Mainly used for talent management and succession planning, this matrix evaluates employees based on their current performance and their potential for the future. While it’s primarily a tool for assessing current employees, it can also provide a blueprint for what traits and potentials to look for during the recruitment process. Behavioral Competency Frameworks: Many organizations develop specific behavioral competency frameworks that outline the behaviors and skills they value. These frameworks serve as guidelines during the recruitment process to assess whether a candidate embodies the desired traits. Kolbe Index: It assesses an individual’s conative abilities – the actions they’re naturally inclined to take. Understanding this can help place individuals in roles where they’ll naturally excel. Job Fit Tools: Several assessment tools on the market measure a candidate’s fit for a specific job, looking at aspects like skills, personality traits, cognitive abilities, and more. There are a myriad of tools and frameworks, each offering different nuances and perspectives. The key is to pick one or integrate several that align with the company’s culture, values, and specific needs.Are you ready to grow and scale your business?
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