Let’s look at this. Firstly what is an assumption? It is a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.
Most people have made assumptions somewhere in their life.
We are human and most people like to help others, see them do well. We try to make it work in any situation. We try to see the best in people, and give others a fair go. This applies in particular to business owners. These are all wonderful traits.
When can assumptions happen in hiring and building a team?
In Hiring
Sometimes when you are given data from the candidate, or there is a problem, you might decide to accept what you have heard, give benefit of doubt or justify it with an assumption.
It is good to give benefit of doubt – as long as you continue on that path to actually LOOK and check, and see, for yourself – not just listen and accept what you are told as fact. This is where mistakes can happen.
Assumptions can be dangerous and risky in hiring. I encourage you to avoid making assumptions. Because when we make an assumption, that usually indicates we have stopped asking questions, looking and listening.
In Teams
Once you’ve gone through the hard work of hiring, you need to be able to motivate and retain your team members.
Just assuming how a person is going is not going to serve you or your team member well long-term.
Some team members are quiet while achieving results, some talk all day and don’t get anything done. Some don’t talk much and don’t get anything done, and some talk all day and get lots of results.
Different personalities, different productivity levels; all can mix and match. So if you are assuming, you could be making decisions with lacking data and not giving recognition to the team members who truly deserve your attention. On the other hand, you could be micromanaging those that should be left alone, and have you there when they need you!
How do you fix this?
By using real data and statistics. It will save you countless hours in hiring and in managing your team – and help you make better decisions for the future of your business.
An important quality of a leader is the ability to recognise source. You cannot do that if you are not looking at real data.
Looking at real data and statistics, will allow you to truly recognise the right people when interviewing, and KEEP your good team members because you are not relying on how things “seem” to be.
You’ll never be misled by those who only talk and not produce any value. You simply do not have budget for these types of hirings.
So in answer to the subject of our email, you should never make assumptions in hiring and building your team, and if you do, make sure you at least do it knowingly to assess your risk.
Would you like to learn more about how to hire and build high performing teams? We have a complete online, self-paced training that will teach you the formula so you become a master at building productive and motivated teams. Schedule in for your free Performia Discovery to learn more!
Lastly, know that you are not alone in your experiences, but you can absolutely fix and solve these challenges and become a master.
I hope these tips help you and I would love your feedback.
Have you noticed if you’ve made assumptions in hiring and building your team?