| "Wise is the man who fixes his roof while the sun | | | | As the starting second baseman, he would also |
| is shining." - Ben Franklin | | | | have to rely on those teammates around him and |
| During low unemployment, companies that plan to | | | | his organization's ability to replace those who leave |
| grow by simply adding employees will find that | | | | or are injured with other players who are as good |
| shallow labor pools won't readily support them. | | | | as or better than the previous players. |
| Companies that plan to select, develop, and retain | | | | In contrast, a few guys where my brother |
| employees the way they've always done it could | | | | worked went around the office recruiting players |
| create a competitive disadvantage they might | | | | for their new softball team and they joined a |
| never overcome. | | | | league. They signed up anybody who said they |
| Low unemployment in a booming economy | | | | would play. They didn't get a coach and never |
| means increased competition for a diminishing | | | | practiced. During games, they asked people where |
| number of available applicants. Whether employers | | | | they wanted to play, not what their abilities were. |
| like it or not, they will be forced to change their | | | | As a result, outfielders couldn't catch fly balls, |
| approach to staffing their businesses if they want | | | | infielders couldn't catch ground balls, and they lost |
| to keep up, much less move ahead, in these | | | | almost every game. |
| competitive times. | | | | My message is simple. Pro sports teams take the |
| Whenever I find myself struggling to figure out a | | | | time to analyze the demands of each position. |
| problem, I begin to look for models of success | | | | They use the best tools they have available to |
| established by others who have been involved in | | | | compare players to the demands of those jobs. |
| situations similar to mine. For those of you | | | | They have tools in place to monitor a player's |
| wondering what the heck you're going to do to | | | | progress. They realize sooner rather than later if |
| meet the staffing challenges of the near future, I | | | | a person lacks the raw ability to perform at a |
| suspect that you might get a few good ideas | | | | specific position. They also realize when that same |
| from a somewhat unlikely source . . . a | | | | person has the raw ability to succeed at a |
| professional sports team. For example, lets take a | | | | different position. They have programs in place to |
| look at pro baseball teams and how they operate. | | | | train, coach, develop, and promote upcoming |
| They: | | | | players before they need them. |
| ·Get rid of people who can't do the job. | | | | Why don't more companies learn to do the same |
| ·Train and develop those who can do the job. | | | | thing? There are plenty of good skill, attitude, and |
| ·Support those who are doing the job. | | | | personality assessment tools that an employer |
| ·Look externally for other people when they | | | | can use to build models of jobs and measure |
| don't have the resources internally to do the job. | | | | individuals against those jobs. Generally speaking, |
| For example, let's take a look at a starting second | | | | mistakes in hiring could be brought to a halt. Poor |
| baseman on a major league team. Suppose he | | | | performers could be promoted or moved laterally |
| gets sidelined because of an injury. His organization | | | | into different positions that played to their |
| would have substitute players trained, developed, | | | | strengths. Training efforts could actually pay off |
| and ready to play. His organization would also | | | | and benefit the company and its employees, |
| have a whole system of minor league players, at | | | | particularly when tailored to the individuals' |
| different skill levels, preparing for the opportunity | | | | deficiencies and the company's needs. |
| to do his job. | | | | |