How to define your team's DNA
Let's be real.
Some of the people on your team annoy the hell out of you.
They grate on your last nerve like nobody's business. Just seeing their ugly mug pop up on a Zoom videocall is enough to spoil your day.
And frankly, they drag the rest of the team down too.
But -because they make their numbers every quarter- their boss looks the other way. And leaves them in-place. Some bosses even build the org design around them. No matter how much damage that's doing to your company's spirit & long-term culture.
You may think this note is about some soft squishy culture crap.
It's not.
Instead, we'll talk about the #1 thing that's going to save your business over the next 3 years.
Better yet, the thing that's going to unleash growth you never thought possible.
That may sound like a big promise. But I guarantee it. I've seen it happen.
Whether your team sells, counts the beans each month, or ships the product. Whether you run the whole enchilada, or even if you're just a simple little investor who makes the entire thing possible.
It's not your TAM total address market.
It's not your proprietary software.
Or your catchy marketing campaigns.
Not your burgeoning brand name (which is on the verge of household awareness.)
It's 1 thing:
DNA
DNA is the single most predictive element of success. It doesn’t matter how competent a team member is if their DNA doesn’t match your company’s ingrained DNA.
I'll repeat it: The single most predictive element.
Yet, most bosses don't even use it.
I’m not a believer in interviewing for “culture fit.”
Over the course of 40,000 candidate interviews, I’ve concluded that seeking a culture fit is just too fuzzy. I have yet to find a reliable data-driven way to do so. Most people think it's the "do I like them?" test.
Instead, I assess prospective & current team-members in order to identify their personal DNA. By DNA, I’m referring to attributes that are hardwired at an early age and which rarely change over time, akin to genetic DNA.
Psychologists have found that -by the time we’re 8 years old- we are largely the person that we’re going to be: detail-oriented, competitive, analytical, creative, etc.
If you have kids, you know what I mean. By age 8, the differences between them was clear as day.
Those qualities will tell you much more about how a person will perform than last year’s sales figures. Obviously, determining someone’s DNA requires a great deal of digging, and that’s why a lot of companies don’t go through the effort.
They might as well flip a coin.
But you're smarter than that.
You know that you can't hire people whose DNA precisely matches your company's existing DNA until you've put pen to paper & clearly defined what it is.
Nor can you decide who to part ways with (or "invite them to pursue their career elsewhere").
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And the words matter.
Getting crystal clear on your company's current DNA is mandatory. And will become your #1 secret weapon over the next 3 years.
There are 2 ways to go about it.
Both are simple. But not easy.
(1) Read chapter 2 of our bestselling book (free copy here) and do it yourself. The chapter walks you step-by-step thru the process.
(2) I'll meet personally with your team, facilitate the process, and forge a tight hand-crafted definition of your team's DNA within 4 weeks.
It costs almost nothing, compared to the long-term benefit. And takes less than 5 hours together. It's not disruptive.
I call this process DNA Discovery.
We're not crafting some vision. Or setting goals. You've already done that.
Instead, we're getting crystal clear on who to invite onto the bus. And who to ask to step off it (not under it.)
Legendary strategist Jim Collins went a step further. He advises leaders to decide who to get on the bus, before even deciding where to take it.
But I presume you have your target market, your strategy, and your goals defined.
Now it's time to put the best-possible team on the field.
And that simply won't happen if you recruit & retain people for just their skills & competencies. That's only half the battle.
The other half -the one that differentiates average companies from superior ones- is defining, living, and enforcing a crystal-clear DNA.
That's what DNA Discovery does.
I just wrapped 2 Discoveries and here's what they said:
"Hiring by your gut isn't always successful. We wanted to be more disciplined and have a methodical approach. With Jeff's help, we were able to crystalize what made our team so unique. Words matter, and now we have them. This guides our hiring, performance management, and organizational design."
Chief People Officer
RainFocus
“We have a storied, rich, mission-driven culture. At the same time, our industry is changing quickly, and it is imperative to stay one step ahead. We needed to codify what makes us unique to build on our brightest spots. Jeff worked diligently with us to make that happen. Moving forward, every hire we make will match our intentionally defined DNA. A powerful and inspirational process!”
Vivek Kartha Kartha
Chief Executive Officer
Riverside Insights
I guarantee the results.
DNA Discovery pays for itself in a month. You'll reduce turnover, energize your team, and unleash them.
But a warning: You'll also be faced with the very difficult decision of parting ways with those people who are holding you make. They make their numbers, but kill your company in the process. If you're not ready to face facts, this isn't right for you.
If you think DNA Discovery might be helpful for your business (it works for team sizes of 5 to 2,000) I'm happy to share more.
You can do this on your own. Just read Chapter 2.
Or if you think having an outsider (me, not someone on my team) lead the process, I'd be happy to assist.
Either way, ignore DNA at your own peril.
Shoot me a note: jeff@recruitrockstars.com and I'll email you a 1 page PDF about DNA Discovery