People don’t quit a job-they quit a boss. Great managers create thriving environments for their team and encourage their growth and happiness, which has direct benefits for the company as a whole. Conversely, hiring the wrong person for a management position may make some of your best employees look for another job and can cost you thousands of dollars in the long run.
In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal, nearly half of employees who leave jobs do so because they don’t like their bosses. Additionally, hiring and training the wrong person for a management position can be quite a costly mistake. For example, according tothis infographic, a manager making $68,000 in annual salary would cost the company more than $800,000 if terminated within 2.5 years of hiring. Unfortunately, this doesn’t even account for the cost of recruiting and hiring a replacement!
Since you undoubtedly don’t want to lose all of your best employees and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the wrong person, it’s critical that you do everything you can to ensure you fill management positions with the right people initially. As you look for a new manager, keep in mind that we’ve found that successful ones usually score high on these 4 behavioral scales when looking at their BE Success Survey.
Proactivity : The desire to pursue achievement of excellence in activities acknowledged by others as important for status in a community.
Target Score: Around 75%
People who score high in proactivity thrive on setting goals and working hard. They are often determined, ambitious and self- motivated, and tend to be energetic and enterprising. Others might describe them as capable, persistent, and someone who shows initiative.
Proactive leaders take responsibility for their management role by engaging and cooperating with their team, leading by example, and always looking for ways to improve and get the job done. Whether you’re hiring for middle or top-level management, proactivity is an essential scale when determining success in a leadership role.
Dominance : The desire to take control whenever and wherever possible.
Target Score: Around 75%
The person who scores around 75% in dominance is a leader who needs to be in charge. They tend to be strong, forthright, determined, and able to influence others. They are powerful, and others realize this power.
Dominance can sometimes have a negative connotation because people immediately associate it with harshness and dictatorship. However, someone in a management position needs to be able to take charge when needed and influence others positively in order to get things done. However, someone who scores too high (90-100%) in Dominance can tend to be impatient and move very quickly, and unnecessarily overpower others. This is something to watch out for.
Endurance : The ability to persist with any task through to its completion.
Target Score: Around 70%
High Scorers in endurance need to finish what they start. They have a strong sense of duty and obligation. They work conscientiously and are usually able to withstand hardship and adversity. High scorers in Endurance are focused and not easily distracted.
Great managers have the ability to successfully see multiple projects through from conception to completion, which requires a certain level of focus and obligation.
Support : The ability to be encouraging and kind in a way that attempts to benefit others.
Target Score: 50%+
People with a score of at least 50% in support care about people deeply. They are supportive and sensitive to the physical and emotional needs and wants of others. They are thoughtful, peace-loving and warm. They like to “touch” others at the heart level. People often confide in them. They are encouragers who see the good in others. Relationships are often their number one priority.
As we saw in our recent article, The Importance of Support as a Leader, being a great leader means caring about your people and encouraging their growth. However, caring is shown not only through words, but consistent mindful actions. Employees who consistently feel cared about feel safe in their environment. They know that it’s ok to raise their concerns, ideas, strengths and growth areas, and as a result they’re more productive, engaged and loyal.
We have found that these four behavioral scales are essential for anyone in a leadership position in any company. Of course, every company is unique and you must also consider your company culture when looking for the right manager, but looking at how your candidate scores on these scales is a great start!
Want to see how your next new manager scores on these four behavioral scales? Contact us today to start using our behavioral assessment in your hiring process!
