What one word would you like people to use to describe you and why?

Do you dread the thought of dealing with an employee’s unsatisfactory performance?

If so, I think you may be surprised to find that, when you stop procrastinating and actually work with the person to help them improve and move to the next level, it can be one of the most rewarding facets of your career.

Although they are often used interchangeably, there is an important difference between responsibility and accountability.

Responsibility is something you are given or that you assume. For example, while your employment makes you responsible for getting your job done, parents assume responsibility for the care of their children.

Accountability, however, is an attitude. People who hold themselves accountable go beyond their own responsibilities to ensure the overall success of the project, department, and/or the entire organization. Accountability is the opposite of: “It’s not my job.” It’s an attitude based on the understanding that all systems and efforts are interconnected and the success of any community of people with a shared goal depends upon working together for good of the whole.

The Humetrics’ Pre-Interview Questionnaire reliably identifies job applicants who are both reliable and accountable. For more information, email info@humetrics.com.

Why do you keep doing what you’re doing?

I recently read an article entitled: “85% Believe an Insightful Interview Question Is More Important Than the Application or Resume.”

Sounds reasonable enough on the surface, but the suggested interview questions that followed were so commonplace that any prepared jobseeker would have canned answers at the ready, while others were worded so ineptly that they clearly spelled out the answer the interviewer would want to hear.

Besides, the applicant won’t get an interview unless the application or resume merit one, so both the advance paperwork and the in-person responses (to truly insightful interview questions) are equally important.

Do you know what you’ll say when one of your STAR* employees asks for a raise or are you going to be blindsided? Will you be able to grant their request or at least be able to tell them exactly what they need to do to earn one? (And if you can give them a raise, why didn’t you just give it to them when they first deserved it?) Will you be upset the person asked or give them points for assertiveness? Will you treat them any differently going forward?

*STARS are: Self-motivated, Talented, Accountable, Responsible, and Stable.

What have you done recently to help an employee or co-worker improve their performance?

Systems are designed to achieve consistency and predictability and can range from simple, paper-and-pen checklists to complex software programs.

Do you have the needed hiring systems in place to ensure you consistently hire STAR* employees? Where are your checklists when it comes to recruiting, screening, selecting, onboarding, and employee retention systems? And, most importantly, is everyone using them?

*STARS are: Self-motivated, Talented, Accountable, Responsible, and Stable.

1. Why the applicant accepted or turned down your job offer?
2. How the applicants feel about your hiring system and interview process?
3. How many of the applicants who turned you down took another offer from someone else and why?

If you don’t know, how are you ever going to improve your results? To get answers, you’ve got to ask all applicants and new hires. You can ask in person, by email, by phone, by letter, or via an online survey. Doesn’t really matter how, just ask.

What’s the one, most important thing you want to accomplish today?