Want a Shot at Hiring Oprah or Warren Buffett?

Deanna Causey

If you could harness the personality traits of two of the most successful people in the world and drop them into your corporate culture how would your business be impacted?  Imagine Warren and Oprah in the break room fraternizing with your staff – never the same right? You can have a shot at landing these types of employees with the use of personality assessments.

Why Oprah and Buffett stand out:

Oprah Winfrey – Perseverance, Compassionate, Influential
Endured hardships difficult to speak about but she never allowed her inner light to be extinguished, connects with others on a very deep level.

Warren Buffett – Guru, Risk Taker, Humble
Entrepreneurship came naturally even as a small child – not interested in the money, just enjoys working the system.  Warren lives frugally although he is one of the richest men in the world.

Guess what they both have in common?  Philanthropy – they understand the principle of giving, that by doing so your gifts are multiplied back to you in ways to numerous to measure.  What organization wouldn’t benefit from any of these qualities?

Okay, none of us pay well enough to snag them, but we do have the opportunity to find those types of personas that can take our business to the next level by using personality assessments.

It’s easy to put butts in seats, but it takes creativity to hire for what you lack, counterbalance what you have too much of, or to complement types you already have.

The creative process of putting a team together is like cooking or designing.  It’s important to know strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits and how they mesh.  Which members flow well together and which do not.  Maximizing team efficiency leans heavily on the right mix of talent, skill, personality and education.  Get it right along with established policies and supportive management and you’ve got a recipe for greatness.

Have you ever sat through an interview and the potential employer rambled on about the company, or asked you a few canned questions without asking for clarification?  Maybe you chit-chatted about family, the agency you came from, and then got offered a job?  Our work is sensitive, requiring intellect with a feel for people.  None of us should still be going through the motions when hiring.  That’s why personality assessments rank high for me.

There are many types of assessments out there. There’s even a short free version of a Jung/Briggs Meyers typology assessment at http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes1.htm.  This test has been right on the mark for every employee who has taken it.

Here are a few ways we use the test:

• Has anyone changed over time?
• Are we “lopsided” with any particular type?
• What are good matches for different types, how do we find and link them within the organization?

Another great resource:  “Hire With Your Head-Using Power Hiring to Build Great Companies” by Lou Adler.  These tools and others like it can help you build exactly what you want in any department.

Our collection team recently took the test again and ALL but two are ENTJ types:

ENTJ
Frank, decisive, assumes leadership readily. Quickly see illogical and inefficient procedures and policies, develop and implement comprehensive systems to solve organizational problems. Enjoy long-term planning and goal setting. Usually well informed, well read; enjoy expanding their knowledge and passing it on to others. Forceful in presenting their ideas.*

Individually they are a great fit for collections – can they all work together?  Yes they do and well.  The intensity and expression of the qualities vary from person to person.  For instance some may assume leadership by directing collection conversations and taking charge of that situation while others function as team leads and others find new resources for us to use.

Of course, we need balance, so two are ENFJ types:

ENFJ
Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Highly attuned to the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. Finds potential in everyone, want to help others fulfill their potential. May act as catalysts for individual and group growth.  Loyal, responsive to praise and criticism. Sociable, facilitate others in a group, and provide inspiring leadership.*

Ironically, these are great qualities for collections as well, not everyone has to be cut from the same cloth.  I’m also an ENFJ by the way.

Assessments help you think outside of the box when it comes to staffing your company.  Fill in the missing pieces.  Find people who can do the same job but with different approaches; no greater way to foster a diverse learning environment with opportunities for professional growth and profits!  Invite some famous personalities to your workplace!

*Excerpted from Introduction to Type® by Isabel Briggs Myers published by CPP. Inc. Used with permission.

As an Operations VP and business consultant, Deanna brings a unique perspective to commercial agency management due to her hands on experience in just about every area.  She’s done sales and business development, client services and complaint resolution, marketing and website development. Learn more at www.genesismgmtgroup.com