A CEO's Unconventional Hiring Strategy: Uncovering the 7% Who Get It Right
In a recent revelation, CEO Steven Bartlett shared his unique approach to hiring, which involves a "culture test" with a question that only 7% of people answer correctly. This test, he believes, reveals a candidate's potential for innovation.
Bartlett, the host of "The Diary Of a CEO" podcast and an entrepreneur, appeared on "Hot Smart Rich" to discuss his unconventional hiring method. He explained that he places more emphasis on character traits than job skills, believing that character is innate while skills can be learned.
"The Diary Of a CEO" host always asks job candidates a question that only a small percentage of people get right. But here's where it gets controversial: he's not looking for a specific skill or expertise; he's testing their problem-solving approach.
The question Bartlett poses is: "There's an event in six weeks, and a supplier says they can't deliver what you need on time. Your options are to scale back, postpone, or ask why it takes six weeks." Most people, he says, don't choose the last option, which is to ask the supplier for an explanation.
"It's incredible that only 7% of people select that option, even though it's clearly the best course of action," Bartlett told Maggie Sellers Reum. This question, he explains, stems from his own company experience, where a simple laptop issue was preventing an employee from meeting a deadline, and a quick fix solved the problem.
Bartlett's approach to hiring is not just about finding the right skills; it's about finding employees who fit the company's culture and who can think innovatively. He has even turned his "Culture Test" into a company, believing that hiring for culture fit leads to loyal, happy employees and increased productivity.
However, not everyone agrees with this method. Despite employers like Bartlett seeking employees who fit their environment, many workers feel that their managers and bosses are breeding job dissatisfaction and burnout. A Gallup survey found that employees are giving up on loyalty being rewarded and are seeking better opportunities, often due to a lack of a sense of belonging and poor leadership.
So, the question arises: Is hiring for culture fit and character traits the answer to increasing employee satisfaction and productivity? Or does it lead to a homogenous workforce that lacks diversity and innovation? These are the questions that Bartlett's approach raises, and they are worth exploring further.
