Two ways to make the most of your credit union talent

It’s getting increasingly harder to find and retain top talent. We all want to make the best decisions, and everyone is competing for the best workers. On top of that, it can be tough to properly assess candidates and then cultivate that talent throughout the employee lifecycle.

Of course, interviews are an essential selection tool, a necessity of any good hiring process. They provide that up-close interaction with your next great hire. Plus, nothing beats looking people in the eye, having a conversation, and learning what you can from the words, the nonverbal cues, and the basic logistics of the meeting itself. Whether the interview is in-person or virtual (as many are today), it’s important for all parties to get to know one another through dialogue and visual connection.

The Illusion of Charisma

Of course, it’s easy to make assumptions about the strength of a candidate based on traits like extraversion and poise. We often buy into the illusion of charisma, when the knack for expression and self-confidence makes us imagine the candidate has exceptional abilities. They are so engaging, approachable, and affable; they must be talented, right? Not necessarily.

But when we lack time and energy, it can be easy to lose our objectivity. As a result, we might assume that someone who interviews well and has been responsible for performing certain tasks in the past will competently perform those tasks for you. This can create some problems down the road. It provides a misleading sense of who’s right for the role and encourages us to dismiss others who would be right if only we had looked at their skills and traits in a different way.

Go Beyond Traditional Thinking

There is no denying we have a lot to discover as we swim through the candidate pool. That’s why we encourage the use of multiple tools. Using a variety of information streams increases the likelihood of making a great hire every time.

Uncovering and maximizing the best talent requires an eagerness to go beyond traditional thinking about what makes someone good at what they do.

The Real Work Starts After the Hire

Post-hire, it’s easy to stop paying attention to what’s working with a new employee and focus on what’s not. It’s natural that we start (and never stop) looking for problems to fix. Sadly, however, that’s a sure way to lose sight of the individual’s strengths and the innate talent they bring to the job.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking a task is effortless simply because a skilled employee makes it look that way.

Factoring in all of this, it’s a safe assumption that the people on your team possess their share of unknown talents that either weren’t identified during the hiring process (we were preoccupied with aligning traits and skills to the job description) or haven’t been appreciated (since we are busy trying to fix the imperfections). What a shame!

Instead, ask yourself how you can draw out your employees’ underappreciated abilities and, in so doing, create a win-win for the credit union and its team.

#1. Revise Your Outlook

What we do is a direct result of what we believe, and if you believe that anyone can be taught to do anything, you’ll be intent on correcting employee weaknesses rather than focusing on the strengths that could be developed for the greater good of the organization.

Case Study: Jordan is a financial advisor with a gift for sales activities. He knows how to close business relationships and strengthen market position. He’s outgoing, proactive, and reliable. But Jordan’s manager is often critical of the one thing Jordan isn’t great at … paperwork. Jordan’s boss got so frustrated he complained to HR. Sarah in HR knows Jordan and is familiar with his reputation as a hard worker. She wonders aloud whether Jordan’s administrative duties shouldn’t be delegated to someone else, leaving Jordan more time to concentrate on what he does best. But the manager doesn’t like that idea, insisting that paperwork is a part of the job, and Jordan needs to get better at it. He recommends sending Jordan to time management training. Sarah disagrees but goes along with it.

The Reality: People are not naturally good at everything. It would be wonderful if we were, but we all have intrinsic talents. Think about how much more productive it would be to maximize those talents rather than waste time trying to fix every shortcoming.

#2. Use Employee Motivation to Your Advantage

What makes your employees tick? What inspires them? What keeps them at your credit union versus a different organization?

We all have basic needs, like a paycheck. There are always bills to pay. However, money alone doesn’t motivate or keep people fully engaged in their work. Once basic financial needs are met, people look for more, such as a connection to the credit union’s culture and core values. Employees also want recognition, career development, and even power. Understanding what inspires your employees can help maximize their performance. Omnia’s behavioral assessments are an excellent, objective way to uncover this valuable information.

Case Study: Terry is a member associate. She is naturally supportive and enjoys answering member questions and working to solve their problems. She has been with the credit union for several years and understands how things work. Recently, Terry learned that all member associates will soon be expected to add cross-selling credit union products and services to their role. In fact, each associate will be responsible for meeting a monthly quota. On the plus side, those exceeding the goal will be eligible for a cash bonus. Terry likes the idea of a bonus, but she’s afraid she won’t be able to meet her quota, and she sincerely hates the idea of “pushing” members to open loans or increase product usage. She’s devastated at the thought of having to quit (or be removed from) a job she’s enjoyed for so long.

The Reality: This new initiative could drive away a great employee. Terry is motivated by the opportunity to assist members in a reactive way rather than the prospect of earning additional cash. She views activities like cross-selling as the opposite of helping. But what if the manager understood all that and found a way to change the narrative? Terry could be coached to view upselling as an additional way to help members by exposing them to services they need but may be unaware of. Also, it might be less intimidating to remove the quota and find a different metric.

The Silver Lining

Your employees likely have an array of talents you haven’t discovered yet. Finding and using these innate talents is entirely possible if you keep an open mind and your eye on what motivates your team.