Whatever the reason for looking for a new manager, I believe that your goal is their RIGHT SELECTION. The consequences of poor choice are probably the last thing you want to experience and deal with. They can be far-reaching and costly. So, what needs to be considered to minimize the risk of incorrect selection of a new manager before starting the selection procedure?
- CREATE A COMPANY “RECRUITMENT TEAM”
Remember: you are never alone in this. You will not be the only one talking and cooperating with the new manager either. The new manager will become part of the company, having extensive personal ties to other employees there. Involve the colleagues in the manager’s future line (up/down) who will work with them in participating in the selection. Although finding an executive manager is usually the responsibility of the company’s top officers and the HR manager, other management team members can offer their perspective as well.
By sharing, you will achieve greater involvement of colleagues and their willingness to help, and, after the new manager is hired (as part of your responsibility), they will accept and cooperate with them more easily.
TIP! If your colleagues tell you that they are too busy, explain how the new manager you are looking for will alleviate the painful parts of their own work and how can they complement the skill set for the functioning of their teams. Or you can explain the possible consequences of the long-term absence of a manager in a given position to the colleagues, or what it would look like if the manager was not in the company at all.
2. TAKE NOTES!
Write down all thoughts and suggestions, as it will help you work better with notes and return to them. Save information and notes in a shared file so that it can be easily updated and accessed by all involved parties.
TIP! Be explicit, don’t ignore the “by the way” notes and feel free to draw pictures.
3. DIVIDE THE ROLES IN THE TEAM
Who has what competencies in the selection procedure, who will be responsible for the complexity of the notes and the shared file, who will conduct the first interviews with the candidates, who will be present at the interviews, who will communicate with them throughout the procedure, who will be in contact with the headhunter?
Create a meeting schedule so that you can continuously evaluate the course of the whole process.
4. ASK AND CREATE
This activity could perhaps be compared to preparing ingredients for baking a cake for a company party. What ingredients do we want to use, which one was missing in the last cake, why didn’t we like it? And what should we add to it so that EVERYONE would find it delicious even more this time?
Written answers will help you narrow your perspective. And what seemed unrealistic to you at first will become more tangible.
Why are we choosing a new manager?
Why is it important to hire a manager? And do we really need someone for this position?
What do we expect from them? (don’t be afraid to be specific, let the numbers speak)
What ability / competitive advantage should they bring to the company?
Which are the activities and goals this manager will be key for? To develop a new product, technology, business strategy…?
What do we expect from them in the first six months and in a year? What should be the specific benefits or measurable results?
How much time do we have?
I dare say that the most important prerequisites for a successful selection procedure are CORRECT TIMING, SPEED AND EFFICIENCY.
The more critical the situation (sudden departure of a manager, the change is being pushed by an investment group or the rapid growth of the company), the faster and more efficient the selection procedure must be.
It can take anywhere between 3 months to 1 year from the beginning of the selection procedure until the executive manager takes office! If you can, start preparations 2 months in advance.
What is our budget for the selection procedure?
New manager as a good investment? Why not? This is true, however, only if the selection procedure is carried out efficiently and professionally. When considering the amount of investment, it is good to assess the risks associated with a long-term or complete absence of the manager in the company. How serious is the situation? Compare the costs of the selection procedure and the labour costs with the expected benefits on a timeline. The economy is expected to recover in 2021. If you invest in new talents now, they are likely to become your competitive advantage soon and can accelerate the growth of your business.
Where can we find them?
In his book “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t”, Jim Collins explores the factors that make a good company great. He states that only 28.89% of CEOs have been hired from outside. Thus, it seems that internal employees can be the best source for hiring a new executive manager. However, if the company does not have the opportunity to hire an internal candidate, I recommend using the services of an experienced headhunter. An experienced headhunter knows the field, has a wide network of contacts and knows the resources and methods for doing a quality manager selection. If you have a headhunter you trust and know they can help you, it’s a good investment that will pay off soon.
Who are we looking for?
Get to know your company first. It sounds like a cliché, but if you don’t know what you’re selling, you can’t sell it. What is your philosophy, mission and vision, what characterizes your corporate culture? What condition is your company in after 2020? What is your current market position and what are your plans for the coming years?
What are your USPs (unique selling points) – what makes you unique and why should people want to work for you?
What was the previous manager, their work and results like?
Write down the previous activities of the former manager. What do you want the new manager to do and, conversely, not to do? Which competencies will you add to or remove from the function?
What was their personality? Did they get on with the team or did they have qualities that you wouldn’t prefer the new one to have? What qualities do you want them not to have? Try to determine this together with the recruitment team and write it down. Don’t be afraid to be honest with yourself, it’s worth it.
How to choose a new manager?
Consider whether to be guided by your previous professional experience or rather your skills and potential during the selection. In case of start-ups, for example, it will be necessary to focus on the potential rather than just previous experience due to their unique product focus and innovative approach.
5. CREATE A COMPETENCY MODEL WITH THE TEAM
You are probably not a psychologist, but try to write down, together with the team, the competencies that you think the new manager should master.
TIP! When creating the model, you can be inspired, for example, here: https://slideplayer.cz/slide/1944303/.
If you decide to use the services of a quality headhunter, all you have to do is hand over a document you created. They will help you create a real competency model and set up the entire selection procedure. The headhunter will quickly and easily understand what your intention is and both of you will cooperate in accord.
Remember, don’t look for the best manager for your company. Because: Who is the best one? What are the criteria of the “best”? Look for those with whom you are on the same wavelength, who have the same cultural, professional or life values or those who will fill the vacancy in the company with their competencies.
If you do decide to entrust the search for your new manager to experienced headhunters, we will be honoured if it is FENIX SEARCH.
Lucie Sedláčková
