Never Say "Never, Ever"

Have you ever lingered, even momentarily, in a state of "never, ever"? You know, that troubling state of mind when you think that you will never, ever realize your aspirations?

Have you ever had times when you doubted that you would achieve a lifelong goal? Or had dark moments when you threw your hands up in despair, convinced that you would never, ever achieve a comfortable, not to mention prosperous, lifestyle?

Well, you are not alone.

You are especially not alone when this "never, ever" feeling is inspired by your job. Millions of people, The Gallup Organization has discovered, toil in jobs or professions that don't give them opportunities to do what they do best. These people could very well be afflicted with "never, ever" thinking. And this thinking doesn't just produce individual misery; it is quite detrimental to the workplace.

Many organizations, sad to say, reek with this kind of decay. "You can't find good help anymore." Or, "Nobody wants to put in an honest day's work for an honest day's pay." Or, "We can never, ever find a person with the right talents for this job, so let's just find a body, any warm body, to put into this role." This kind of negative thinking is symptomatic of a decaying corporate culture.

Employees who are stuck in "never, ever" roles are likely to be marginally engaged, distracted with thoughts of never, ever being able to find the jobs that are right for them. The organization could have a revolving door in the role or be stuck with a person who does just enough to get by.

But there is good news and hope: Employees can find and thrive in jobs that are right for them. Employers can identify and hire employees who are right for the jobs they need done.

The question is, how? How can you find the job that is right for you? How can managers recruit, hire, and retain the right employees?

The right start, the right person, the right job

Finding the right job starts long before a prospective employee fills out an application or goes on a job interview. The process really begins when a person starts to understand his or her talents. Most people, however, miss this important step because they don't think about applying their natural tendencies toward selecting a career. This is partly due to the simple fact that most people -- 70%, according to Gallup research -- are unaware of what natural talents they possess.

But successful people, Gallup finds, do know their talents. They know and embrace fundamental truths about themselves. They know, for example, that they like conflict or hate to wait. Or they know that they love to tell stories but hate having to build consensus. Whatever personality traits they may possess -- and there are millions of possibilities -- these people know themselves and use that self-awareness as their basis for success.

Wess Roberts, Ph.D., in his book, Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, puts this relationship of self-awareness to success this way: "You must recognize and accept that your greatness will be made possible through the extremes of your personality." These extremes, he goes on to suggest, are those behaviors that people notice about you first. They are behaviors that make others laugh, but just as often, they may make people groan. Successful people know their extremes -- their talents -- and they build those talents into strengths. Just as importantly, they select jobs that allow them to use their strengths every day. They are likely to be fully engaged in their work, not distracted in the least with "never, ever" thinking.

People who have jobs that are right for them are paid to be who they are. Hall of Fame athletes may possess extreme Competition or Focus talents -- or any number of others. Great executives may possess off-the-chart Strategic or Futuristic talents. Artists and writers may have extreme talents in Ideation. You too can find the right role for yourself, but you must begin the process by knowing your talents. In their book, Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton suggest that people who understand their talents find a world of possibilities in the workplace that they may not have recognized prior to learning about their talents. Chief among those possibilities is finding a job that matches who they are.

Finding the right employee for a particular role within an organization also starts before the job application and interview. The process begins when organizations identify the measurable business outcomes that are expected from the particular role and the attitudes that drive them. Most organizations, however, fail at this point because they don't select people based on identified talents and strengths within a particular role. Instead, they hire people based on the random and archaic notion of résumés, recommendations, and job experience. The most successful organizations first identify the talents and strengths an individual could bring to the role, ones that are likely to drive him or her to accomplish the desired outcomes, then consider a candidate's relevant background and experience.

For example, these organizations understand that a receptionist must be a manager of first impressions. One of the most important outcomes for a person in that role is to create a favorable first impression for customers and visitors who enter the foyer. The most successful organizations identify candidates who will enjoy winning people over as they enter that receptionist area.

Or maybe an organization is looking for individuals to handle irate customers. The most successful businesses understand that these individuals will frequently find themselves in the midst of conflict. Any individual placed in this role who lacks a talent for managing conflict will ultimately fail. The right person, however, instead of becoming flustered as customers' tempers rise, will be discerning, understanding, and helpful. Why? Because that person thrives on resolving conflict.

Successful organizations disarm the threat of demoralizing attitudes by identifying the outcomes of each role, then selecting individuals who possess the talents that drive success within those roles. Organizations that set their employees up for success by taking a talent-based approach to selection ensure that their employees will never, ever suffer from never, ever thinking.