Hire Smart: Hire Attitude - Train Skill

Guest post by: Roger Ingbretsen
Become an Author

Free PDF Download
Stay Employed In A Down Economy - By Roger Ingbretsen

Attitude is defined as ones’ feelings or mood - Positive or negative - toward things, circumstances or people. No matter how you may choose to define attitude, it is one of your “most priceless” or disabling possessions.

You, and only you, are in charge of your attitude! You must realize that your attitude is your choice to make, and that you alone can decide how to deal with events in your life. Your attitude will determine how you position yourself in life and what you get or don’t get out of life.

Attitude is important because attitude is everything! It drives virtually every decision you make and how you live each day of your life. Your attitude either propels you forward or holds you back.

Attitude is a reflection of the person inside, and while the external circumstancesin your life can be chaotic, with a great attitude you can sill chart your path.

Viktor Frankel, psychologist and survivor of the World War II holocaust, observed a few men in the concentration camps walking through the huts comforting others, giving proof that everything can be taken from a human, but the last of human freedoms - the choice of ones attitude in any given circumstance – can not be taken.

I have had the pleasure of hiring directly or indirectly thousands of people throughout my career. I have also experienced the distasteful process of having to fire individuals. I have never fired someone for lack of skills; it has always been based on behavioral problems. I did not fire them for a bad attitude, but rather for specific behavioral problems which were as a result of their attitude. Because of my experience I have developed eight rules for hiring from the outside and for promoting from within.

Eight Rules for Hiring Smart

Hire attitude, train skill. (Southwest Airlines mantra)

Hire people for “who they are” first, and “what they know” second. What they Know, and will need to know, changes, Who they Are Doesn't.

Hire people first with the right mind-set, and second with the right tool-set.

Hire people who have a demonstrated record of life-long learning and the “application” of that learning.

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Ask interview questions that get them to talk about how they have reacted in certain situations (change, stress, wins, conflict, deadlines, teamwork, etc.) Listen to learn.

Hire people who are passionate and have accomplished things in their life.

Look for energy, humor, spirit and self-confidence, and a great attitude.

Hire people who are excited about managing their own career, contributing to the greater good of the organization and involved in the community. Great people are normally greatly involved!

The most common - and fatal - hiring mistake is to find someone with the right skills but the wrong mind-set and hire them on the theory, “We can change them.”

Hiring smart is productive, not doing so is unproductive.

Is there really a Labour Squeeze in Alberta?

Attitude Have It Hire It

Hire a Sales Rep - Not a Product Rep

How Are You Doing with Hiring?

Hire offshore DOT NET developers to get efficient web development services

What Employers Really Look For When Hiring A College Graduate

Top 5 Tips for Finding the Best Offshore PHP Website Development Company

Hire On Attitude Not Skill

Should I Handle My Own Public Relations Campaign

Why Should You Hire a PHP Developer For Your Website Development?

Why Should You Hire a PHP Developer For Your Web Development?

Are You Really Ready to Hire an Employee?

Work From Home Online Freelancing

The Bozo Explosion

Why Running Your Business Alone Never Works

Hiring New Team Members

How To Evaluate Your People In 2 Simple Steps

New Tricks

Fail in Favor of the Customer

Hire Purchase Financing for Small Business

Home > Leadership > Roger Ingbretsen > Hire Smart Hire Attitude Train Skill > Google +

Free PDF Download
Stay Employed In A Down Economy - By Roger Ingbretsen

About the Author: Roger Ingbretsen

RSS for Roger's articles - Visit Roger's website
Roger has a Masters degree in Organizational Leadership, from Gonzaga University, a dual undergraduate degree in Economics & Business Administration, from Park University, an AA degree in Business, as well as 1,500 certified hours of training in technical disciplines. He’s had over forty articles, numerous white papers and two books and two eBooks published.
Roger is a member of the International Coaching Federation. Additionally, he has completed many professional training programs attaining numerous certifications, a few of which include: The Harvard Law School “win-win” negotiation process, the Center for Creative Leadership “360-Degree Feedback” evaluation process and “Coach the Coach” program, the Zenger Miller “Team Training Certification Seminar” and “Executive Coaching” practices from the Professional School of Psychology, California. He is also a qualified administrator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality inventory.

Click here to visit Roger's website.

More from Roger Ingbretsen
Strategic Thinking and Quick Reaction to New Information is the Key to Organizational Survival
A Knowledge Strategy For Your Organization
The Role Of The Executive Coach Developing The Best Talent
How To Get and Keep a Job
Organizations Must Think Communicate and Act Differently to Survive

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Featured

Expert

Edward R. Kundahl
@ideaman55
Visit website

Hire Smart: Hire Attitude - Train Skill

Related Articles

Related Forum Posts

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.


Name:
Email: