By Dr. Drake Beil
President, Solutions Inc.
Have you ever felt like you don’t fit in? Well, you’re not alone and it has never been more important.
The new buzz words are "cultural fit," and it’s crucial to successful managerial and executive placement.
Research at the Center for Creative Leadership found what differentiated successful from unsuccessful placements was not a manager’s prior track record or technical expertise. It was their cultural fit, including fit to the boss, fit to the workplace and fit to the organization’s values.
To meet these needs to fit in, some progressive employment agencies are becoming more aware during the selection process. For example, Korn/Ferry uses a diagnostic tool called Futurestep that attempts to match a candidate’s leadership style to the hiring organization’s culture. It’s not easy to measure style, value and culture, but just the acknowledgment of the importance is a step in the right direction.
Some take it a step further.
Innovative companies are also getting into the hunt for cultural matches. In their book "Nuts!" Southwest Airlines employees and authors Kevin and Jackie Freiberg describe how the airline tests for unselfishness and dedication to customers.
During the next few years, these unique approaches will become more common.
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