Organizational culture is a huge part of every business. It dictates how happy your employees are and, ultimately, it will affect your bottom line. It also plays a role in leadership decisions. When hiring a new C-suite executive, the choice will really come down to compatibility. Which person fits the best in your culture and how well are they going to work in the workplace that your company has spent so long building?
Culture recently ranked as the number-two reason why executives left their jobs, so making sure they fit into yours is of chief importance. Hiring for these roles can be one of the most challenging dilemmas a company can face. There are tons of great candidates with proven track records and a wellspring of experience, but figuring out which one will gel with your culture? That’s where it gets tricky.
Before moving forward with an executive hire, you need to gain an understanding of your company’s core values and determine how this person will sync with them. To help navigate this tricky part of the hiring process, we chatted with business leaders across several industries.
A Good Cultural Fit
What exactly is cultural fit anyways? Your workplace is made up of beliefs and attitudes, expectations, and behaviors that everyone from the ground floor to the top level understands and exemplifies. These create a culture that is solely your own and one that needs to be understood by those you are considering hiring.
“The best employees are going to be the ones who seamlessly fit into the company’s current culture,” says Gigi Ji, Head of Brand and Business Development at Kokolu. “We have to evaluate both ourselves internally as well as the potential hire to see if it’s a good cultural fit.”
Cultural fits are especially important in c-level executives because there is a trickle-down effect on all those who work beneath them. “The founder of the company is the one who has the greatest impact on the organizational culture,” says Amanda E. Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer at HIDE. “After all, it was their vision in the first place.” Those directly below the founder are influenced by it and incorporate it into their strategic directions for their divisions. From there, the culture rubs off on those under them.
Start with the Background
Just like with any new hire, the professional background is of the utmost importance when hiring an executive. Sabine Steiner, COO of Talentor International says, “An important source for determining the cultural adaptation is the previous professional stations of the candidate. Different career paths make it possible to get to know different work environments and to find their way around there. Did the candidate work in an international environment or only in very regional structures? In what type of company was the candidate successful - start-up versus traditional family business?” These are important questions to ask yourself when trying to determine if your candidate is a good fit.
“Remember, the resume does not tell the whole story of any candidate”, adds Cesar Cruz, Co-founder at Sebastian Cruz Couture. “Emotional intelligence can often play a huge part in the candidate’s success or failure.” When you are hiring for a leader that will be making hiring and firing decisions it is crucial that they are emotionally intelligent and know how to read situations.
“[T]he best candidates are those who demonstrate both respect and humility and are active, engaged listeners,” says Jon Sammons, Director of the LeaderStat Premier Team. “They respond quickly rather than struggle with direction and are effective team players.”
Candidates with strong emotional intelligence tend to work well with others; an important trait for a leadership role.
The Conversation
“Hiring an executive is a lot like online dating,” says Ankur Goyal, Head of Growth at Coterie. “Sure, they look good on paper, but you won’t know if they are really a fit for your company’s culture until you meet them in person and see how the conversation flows.”
The talking part of the process will be the best place to judge if there is going to be a culture fit. A candidate that doesn’t mesh with your company’s culture will reveal themselves at this stage. “If you are someone who knows your company culture inside and out, it shouldn’t take more than one discussion with the person to determine whether or not they are going to be a good culture fit,” adds Sara Adam Slywka, Co-founder and CMO at Nestig. “It’s all about attitude in the interview phase.
Your first interview with the candidate should feel more like a two-way conversation in which you learn as much about them as they learn about you and the company. Talk about the company culture and try to determine if their work ethic and attitude are going to be a good fit for it. “All of your questions should be based around your culture,” Slywka adds. “Have ideal answers in mind that you would want to hear from the perfect fit and gauge their response against that rubric.”
Ask for References
“Chat with former bosses and employees to get a read on these types of traits that don’t show up on candidates' resumes,” says Trey Ferro, CEO at Spot Pet Insurance. “References allow you to gain insights into the candidate that you might not be able to glean from their resume or your conversations.”
One reference might not be enough. Ideally, aim to get two or three so that you can get a full picture of who this person is according to their peers. Make sure to verify statements and understand who the person is who is giving it. “Who is the person who is giving this reference and how do they fit into the overall picture of the person you are asking about,” Datha Santomieri, Co-founder and Vice-President at Steadily asks. “HR people are classic references, but a direct manager will provide a more comprehensive analysis.”
It’s All About Chemistry
What is chemistry? It’s a sort of indescribable feeling we have with people, whether it be good or bad, it’s hard to define. “Chemistry is pretty much the way that you vibe with the candidate in question,” says Patricio Paucar, Co-founder and Chief Customer Officer at Navi. “It comes down to how well you communicate and how the person’s characterizes meld with your own and the company’s at large.”
If you have built the company around servant leadership where you aim to enrich the lives of others and this candidate brings in an imperialistic view that stands in contrast to what you have built, it is not going to be a good fit for the company. Remember, they have to meld seamlessly into the company you and your team have already established. Anyone who enters the discussions looking to rebuild will need to be cut from consideration.
“This is a good time to get to know the candidate outside of the office,” Paucar added. “So much of what it means to be a culture fit comes down to whether or not you would hang out with this person after work hours or not. A person that is a good fit for your team will be able to join you at your next work outing and fit seamlessly into the team dynamic. Get the executive team together and schedule a lunch. Ask the attendees how they felt about the candidate and if they think they fit in. If the chemistry was good, they should be a shoo-in.”
C-suit hires are difficult, but not impossible. If you follow this guide, your next hire will be one that lasts.
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