The Challenges of Hiring, Firing, and Promoting
Experiences/Competencies/Hard Skills vs. DNA/Soft Skills
“DiSC measures four aspects of personality, D- dominance, i- influence, S- steadiness, C- conscientiousness.”
from DiSC
Jeff Hyman recently shared the two reasons he has seen why someone is removed from their job:
1. Competencies/Skills - inability to do the job
2. DNA Match - inability to function successfully within the organization
Jeff also advocates that both are equally important. When he is recruiting, he weighs them 50/50.
While competencies can be trained, coached, or taught, DNA is not as easily changeable. Researchers suggest that early-hardened personal characteristics and values are difficult to alter. Therefore, fixing a hiring mistake due to a DNA mismatch can be challenging or nearly impossible.
I wrote an article a while back that also looked at the relationship between DNA or Soft Skills and Skills or Experience: Top-Notch Soft Skills Eat Experience For Breakfast. According to Forbes, 94% of recruiters believe that top-notch soft skills outweigh experience when it comes to promotion to leadership positions.
One may be a computer whiz, a scientific genius, or a rocket scientist. However, to be successful, they need more than just expertise in their given specialty. In fact, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employees (NACE), when participating employers were asked to name the attributes they seek in candidates, they gave their highest scores to the following three traits:
Written Communication Skills (82%)
Problem-Solving Skills (80.9%)
Ability to Work in a Team (78.7%)
Interestingly, technical skills (59.6%) and computer skills (55.1%), often considered among the most important skills an applicant can possess in today’s high-tech job market, ranked quite low by comparison. The results make it clear that employers are paying much closer attention to soft skills in the workplace than they did in years past.
While there are certainly arguments to be made for the importance of a DNA match in the hiring process, others do argue that competency and skills are the only factors that matter. This viewpoint suggests that as long as an individual has the skills and experience necessary to perform the job, their fit with the organization's culture is irrelevant.
Proponents of this argument might suggest that focusing too much on DNA matches can lead to hiring bias or discrimination. For example, a hiring manager who prioritizes "fitting in" with the company culture may only consider candidates who share the same background or interests as the current team, leading to a lack of diversity.
Additionally, supporters of this viewpoint might argue that competency and skills can be objectively measured and evaluated, while DNA match is more subjective and difficult to quantify. Therefore, it is easier and more effective to hire based on measurable criteria such as education, work experience, and technical skills.
This sounds a lot like us. When working with clients and scoping assignments for Sales Leaders, we focus a great deal on those past experiences and measurable skills. They are the foundation for our PerfectMatch™ system.
Because they are subjective, DNA or soft skills are described by using labels: "Please apply if you are a rock star." But hiring just doesn't work that way. Because most people tend to think of themselves as a rock star, or at the very least, as being better than most others. Or have you ever seen a profile or resume where someone describes themselves as average, self-centered, and a B-player?
Instead of using a label, you can become more tangible and factual when describing some of those soft skills or character traits, e.g., state as a requirement that you are looking for someone with an S personality in their DiSC profile; or for someone that has been part of a similar-sized team (i.e., “was part of a 3–4-person executive team”).
Back to Jeff Hyman, whether looking at hiring, firing, or promoting, both skills and DNA are important factors to consider. While competency and skills are undoubtedly essential factors, ignoring DNA match entirely can lead to serious issues. Employees who do not fit in with the organizational culture may be less motivated, less engaged, and less likely to stay with the company long-term. A poor culture fit can lead to conflicts and tensions within the team, which can ultimately harm productivity and morale.
Talk to us to understand how we are weaving culture fit into our PerfectMatch™ process.
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Jeff Hyman – Recruit Rockstars
Photo by Anne Gosewehr