These 3 Hiring Mistakes

Avoid These 3 Hiring Mistakes

By Jack and Suzy Welch
How fast should you move when you sense you've made a hiring mistake? In a word, very. So fast, in fact, that if you're moving at the right speed in taking care of a hiring mistake, it will probably feel too fast. That's O.K. In every case, a rapid intervention is better for the organization, your own career, and even the person you're letting go.

Look, hiring great people is brutally hard. New managers are lucky to get it right half the time. And even executives with decades of experience will tell you that they make the right calls 75% of the time at best.

The problem is, the stakes are so high. Never has it been so important to field a team with the best players. Every smart idea matters. Every ounce of passion makes a difference. You cannot have a black hole in your organization where a star should be.

So that's the first reason you need to face up to hiring mistakes quickly. Sure, maybe one individual's poor performance won't sink the company. But when your "mistakes" aren't doing their jobs, it invariably puts a strain on the whole team and makes work harder for everyone else. So resentment toward the underperformers — and toward you for hiring them — builds up.

And yet, as your question implies, too many managers procrastinate for too many months before acting on their hiring mistakes. They'll tell you they're hoping the mistake's performance will improve with time and experience. They might also moan about the time that's required to find someone new and bring him up to speed.

But the real reason most managers don't act is that they fear looking stupid and worry that admitting they made a hiring mistake is career suicide. In any good organization, that logic is exactly backward. Any company worth its salt will reward managers when they acknowledge they've hired wrong and swiftly repair the damage. They get more positive buzz for the operational improvements that occur when the right person is finally in place. Indeed, recognizing mistakes — and fixing them boldly — builds a manager's credibility. Hoping against hope that the mistake will go away does the opposite.

Now, it is important to note that "boldly" doesn't mean harshly. Remember: You made the error. Don't blame the person who persuaded you that he was right for the job. Break the news candidly, take responsibility for what went wrong, make a fair financial arrangement, and then give the departing employee time to look for a soft landing somewhere else. Both you and the person you hired need to feel as if you handled everything properly, especially should you ever meet again when your former "hiring mistake" happens to become a potential customer.

Of course, the best way to handle hiring mistakes is to not hire them in the first place. Yes, bringing in the right people is, as noted above, a tough business fraught with pitfalls. But you can really improve your chances if you fight like hell against the three main hiring impulses that most often get managers into trouble.

The first is using your gut. Don't! When you have a big, crucial job opening to fill, it's just too easy to fall in love with a shiny new candidate who is on his best behavior, telling you exactly what you want to hear and looking like the answer to all your prayers. That's why you can never hire alone. Make sure a team coolly analyzes the candidate's credentials and conducts interviews. And by all means, make sure the team includes at least one real hard-nose — the kind of naysayer who is particularly good at sussing out the job fit and sniffing out the phonies.

The second instinct you have to fight is what we call the "recommendation reflex," in which managers rationalize away negative references with excuses like: "Well, our job is different." You should seek out your own references to call, not just the ones provided by the candidate, and force yourself to listen to what they have to tell you even if it ruins the pretty picture you are painting in your head.

Finally, fight the impulse to do all the talking. Yes, you want to sell your job, but not at all costs. In interviews, ask candidates about their last job — and then shut up for a good, long while. As they describe what they liked and what they didn't, you will likely hear much of what you really need to know about fit.

True, you may still make a mistake, but at least it won't be because you rushed. Save the speed for fixing things if they unfortunately go awry.

Jack Welch is Founder and Distinguished Professor at the Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University. Through its executive education and Welch Way management training programs, the Jack Welch Management Institute provides students and organizations with the proven methodologies, immediately actionable practices, and respected credentials needed to win in the most demanding global business environments.

Suzy Welch is a best-selling author, popular television commentator, and noted business journalist. Her New York Times bestselling book, 10-10-10: A Life Transforming Idea, presents a powerful decision-making strategy for success at work and in parenting, love and friendship. Together with her husband Jack Welch, Suzy is also co-author of the #1 international bestseller Winning, and its companion volume, Winning: The Answers. Since 2005, they have written business columns for several publications, including Business Week magazine, Thomson Reuters digital platforms, Fortune magazine, and the New York Times syndicate.
A version of this column originally appeared in BusinessWeek Magazine.
Photo credit: ollyy/Shutterstock.com

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Cal M.
Retired
Great advise from one of those people who have been extremely successful in a business career. Jack Welch is one of the few who really did rise to the top, but through hard work and initiative.
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Dilip B.
Steel today freelanse photographer at My Residance
Sir, I am most sin ear Photographer.since 35 year. I have no degree. I have someny Photographer.They all are my student .I give training Practical and Theatrical.Today I have join one monthaly megegine as Press Photographer in Gujarat Patrakar Sangh.I want know more about Digital photogrphy.I am working as Qwality Circle thime. Dilip Bhavsar
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Maria del Carmen G.
Profesional de Supermercados
A very good article. All about important human values like humility for the recognition of mistakes. I like these sentences: "you cannot have a black hole where a star should be" and "boldly doesn't mean harshly".
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Elizabeth R.
Teacher at SMP Negeri 1 Magelang
Thank a lot for the good idea.....I can use it to my self and share to other.....
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Willy N.
Experienced in Product Development, Product Execution and Quality A. Educated and Driven to Streamline Operations
This is very true. Great article! Pedro Arias
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Marco I.
Law Rouanet - Fiscal Incentive to Culture Sector at Government TV of Culture Broadcast
Not just to be a tough guy, but company and team come first!!! Let's turn any mistake made into straight correction with no time lapse. That's because we have other relevant activities to perform!
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Genie C.
Artist/Writer/Illustrator/Filmmaker at Self-Employed
Thank you for the good advice in hiring and letting go that which isn't working for the business. This is vital to the strength of my organization in my production company.
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Dr. Michael K. Clifford 2^nd
Chairman at DreamDegree.org
Jack's program is first class!
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Bruce Roberts 2^nd
Creative Technical Writer and Web copy writer
I beg to differ and strongly. Yes it is true that you want to hire good people. But if you follow the Welchs' logic- don't hire someone who is disabled because providing reasonable accommodations takes time and costs money, don't hire someone who went to a school that is not Choate or Harvard because they may have an inferior education. A manager who doesn't want to make mistakes would be better not to hire someone who might turn out to be a good employee with some mentoring and encouragement. If I'm wrong then tell me why...
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Likers Tony C., Jack S., and Prince Williams M.
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David B.
CEO/Project Coordinator at Hallmark Information Concept
Great article. I just made the mistake and correction few days back.
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George G.
Manager at Donor Drives LLC
Very informative.
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raju shaikh S.
technical manager at fierelli decor
i like- very good article
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Claire G.
General Manager at Television Jamaica Limited a member of the RJR Communications Group
Great advice. On point for me as I move forward
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Deirdre K.
Production Manager at Nerd Corps Entertainment
A good reminder, thanks!
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Jayne H.
Advertising Operations, Strategy, ROI, Process Consultant and Interim Executive for Media Focused Companies
Seems to be a constant. Hire too quickly, fire too slowly. Amazing the damage a bad hire causes to the company's culture when left in place too long. The hiring manager is often reluctant or afraid of admitting to the mistake, or feels guilty about the mistake, or other very real anxieties. Once the bad hire has brought the culture to a frenzy, then the firing finally takes place, which is a relief to all...but at what cost. Thanks for this great management reminder.
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Jennifer P.
Human Resources Professional
Great article!
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Ahmad Shukri A.
Strategic Planning & Excellence Expert
very good article
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Shahriar K.
CEO
Good article.
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Naaman B.
Retired at Israeli Atomic Energy Commission
I would suggest putting the candidates through various tests, psyfhological and others before hiring them . Many companies do that and their rate of success is high
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Ginny M.
Director of Human Resources at ITW Rippey
Excellent article. Certainly can't disagree.
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