ScatterBrain

I think that one of the most important skills you can possess is being able to honestly see things from other people’s perspectives.

It’s a skill that I’ve thought of a lot, as we’ve had recent turnover at TalentEgg and I’ve started to consider new (exciting) strategies for growth in the future. Despite a degree in Economics, in which I specialized in microeconomics (understanding why and how individuals make decisions), understanding other people’s perspectives is very challenging to me, and something I’m actively working on.

A few areas where putting myself in another person’s shoes is critical these days:

1. HR. As I mentioned, we recently had turnover at TalentEgg. Before it happened, I struggled to understand Point of View (POV), and to approach the situation with as much sensitivity as possible. Regardless, turnover sucks. Turnover also means that we’re currently hiring, and in doing so I’m actively writing and re-writing copy for the job description. I’m constantly asking myself, “What does this say to someone reading this?”, “If I were reading this, and I was the ideal candidate, would I respond to this job description?”
2. Overall Strategy and Positioning. In the quest to find the best, I’ve experimented with a few HR solutions. I’ve posted the job on free job boards, on paid job boards, I’ve put an Ad in the Marketing/Ad industries main daily email newsletter, I’ve chatted with recruiters, toyed with hiring an HR consultant for screening purposes, and even experimented with a few free(ish) Applicant Tracking Systems/Applicant testing programs. This has been an invaluable experience to me – experiencing myself what many small businesses who use TalentEgg must experience when they approach us for job listings. I’m finally able to understand why we sometimes experience sticker shock from potential clients, why we sometimes experience extremely satisfied clients,  and what the main concerns/deciding factors might be for smaller employers wanting to use our site.
3. Sales. At the end of the day, everything comes down to Sales. The role we’re currently recruiting for is a sales role, and aside from the sales benefit I’ve derived from the recruiting process, I’ve also been prepping myself to work on sales strategy. Part of that has involved tons of reading, including a McKinsey report I read this weekend on Solution Sales. I’m not sure Solution Sales really suits TalentEgg, but what I learned from my reading is that it all comes down to really understanding what your clients want and need  - aka, putting yourself in the other person’s shoes (note – I think we’re actually most suited to a ‘vertical approach’ – presenting different solutions for different buckets of clients).

One of my favourite business books is  “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. In it, he writes that one of the keys to success – in life and in business – can be achieved if you “try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.”  I read (most of) this book a few months ago. Today, as we sit at the brink of a massive opportunity and are faced with some very difficult, critical decisions, I think it might make sense to finally read the rest of the book.. :-p