applying courtship principles: hiring for the long term

Applying Courtship Principles: Hiring for the Long Term How long did you date your wife or husband before ge4ng married?

Meet Your Instructor •  Team Lead, Data warehousing product

development •  Software product manager, BI product •  COO, large IT services company •  CEO, XBOSoft, software qa and testing services •  Relevant specialties

–  Software quality process, evaluation, measurement and improvement

–  Software quality in use / UX design –  Mobile User Experience and usability

XBOSo=, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2

Let’s Meet Each Other A few of Us Anyway

•  Name •  Your Company/Role •  InteresNng Ndbit or fact •  ObjecNve in being here


Learning from the Past •  “Used 1 hour efficiently and covered the material. It was

interacNve too.” •  “Presenter was comfortable and engaging. Content was

good.” •  “Best content. Provided great brainstorming opportuniNes

and gave examples. Great presenter.” •  “Slides too low where people’s heads are. Can’t see.” •  “It was too hard to hear what was said.” •  “Instructor only focused on people in front who’s hands were

up.” •  “Too large a group. •  “Slides were different.”


Session Spirit and Expectations •  Interactive given time and other context •  I won’t read the slides…

– Slides for you as a take-away – Slightly different than your handouts – Some new examples and ideas – Write me and I’ll send these to you

•  I’ll repeat questions (if I can remember)

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People Quality Leads to So=ware Quality

•  Competent and skilled people—combined with good process—can consistently produce higher-‐quality so=ware.

•  Incompetent people even with good processes produce random and/or poor results.


Quality People Quality So=ware

The DaNng Game •  When we look for a spouse, we go out on a date, then another, and another as part of an informaNon gathering process.

•  We collect several months or even years of informaNon to make this criNcal decision.

•  So, why do we o=en make long-‐term employment decisions with a few brief interviews?


Who to Marry? Finding Good Employees

•  Determine what qualiNes and characterisNcs you want – QuesNons to ask – TradiNonal and non-‐tradiNonal acNviNes or exercises to employ can be done as part of the interview process

– QuesNons and methods can help us find people suited for the long term.


Agenda

•  The problem •  Applying so=ware quality models to people •  Solving the problem one piece at a Nme


The Problem

•  Figuring out what we need – We can’t get what we want unless we know what we want (sound familiar?)

•  Finding that person •  AlracNng them to your company

– Put on the right clothes and make up? •  Keeping them for the long haul •  Doing it in systemaNcally to increase probability of success


ATTRACTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Before we start recruiNng, we have to figure out who we are, which leads to what kind of people we want


It’s a 2 way street

AlracNng the Right Spouse Define Yourself Before You Hire

•  Hiring successfully begins with defining who you are.

•  Figure out what skills and personality you want. •  The process of creaNng a job descripNon can be more important than the words themselves.

•  Think about what your company is doing, where you are at and what your culture is.

•  Think about top talent in the context of your company, define it and then recruit for it.


Determine Who You Are

•  Will the new employee jive with the company values and team atmosphere. Don’t get a bad apple.

•  Employee goals -‐ can the company offer the employee what they need and wants to stay moNvated. Spot puddle jumpers. – Money is a moNvaNon, but more important is a sense of impact and contribuNon to the organizaNon.


AlracNng the Right People

•  Make the candidate feel as though they are the one suited for the job.

•  “Tell your friends about us!” can make you look desperate.

•  You see the resume as the first impression of an applicant àcandidates are looking at an email as a first impression.


AlracNng

Your Hiring Process Should Reflect Your Culture •  Recruit for culture, not just skills •  Have interviews aimed at idenNfying whether or not a candidate shares your values and can perform well your culture and environment.

•  Have some interviews with employees who have not seen the candidates’ résumés.


AlracNng For a Start Up Your First Hire Should Be A “Get-‐Stuff-‐Done” Person •  Flexibility is one of the most important things in a startup -‐ people wear many hats.

•  In a startup, someone who can adapt to different challenges and find soluNons most important

•  Smart, resourceful, takes iniNaNve, finisher. •  This person usually becomes an expert in a parNcular area later and becomes invaluable.


AlracNng For a Start Up

Take Away The Fear Of Failure •  One of the hiring challenges startups face is that top recruits might consider it too risky to join.

•  Address this issue head on in the interview process. –  Present the worst-‐case scenario –  Stress that the candidate would have no problem finding another opportunity should the startup go under.

•  You want this response/reacNon: “Yeah, I’ll be fine if this company goes down. But it’s

not going down, because I’m part of it,”


FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU NEED

SomeNmes we don’t really know… unNl its too late and we got what we don’t want. And many Nmes we keep making the same mistakes…


Long-term? Agile Soft Skills

Figure Out What you Need

•  Long term employees •  Part Nmers •  Contractors •  Crowd tasks

– Task rabbit – Elance – Mechanical Turk


What is "long-‐term”?


•  Define 1-‐2 year hiring need, under 1 year? – Those 20% superstars that stay with the company for the long term will have a trickle effect onto the retenNon funnel with other employees and company culture.

– Not everyone can be a superstar. – Those medium performers are needed too.

Agile ConsideraNons

Waterfall •  Speed •  Quality •  Cost

Agile •  Speed •  Quality •  Cost


Where’s the beef?

Be-‐Do-‐Have

Be

Do

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Be-‐Do-‐Have

Be

Do

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Process •  Iterative (sprints) •  Daily standups •  Face to face communication •  Post mortem – end of sprint •  Delivery meeting – end of sprint •  Planning meeting – before sprint •  Self organizing

People •  Communicative •  Collaborative/Cooperative •  Flexible and willing •  Knowledgeable-multi •  Initiative/responsible •  Responsive/adaptive

Results •  Speed •  Quality

Agile Skills Needed

•  CommunicaNve and CollaboraNve – Listening – Speaking (this you can get during the interview) – Reading – WriNng

•  Abstract reasoning •  Problem solving


Are They Listening

Listening Skills Checklist •  Give the interview 100% of their alenNon.

•  Listening Body Language •  Listening InteracNon


Listening Skills -‐ AlenNveness


What experiences do you have where the interviewee showed good or poor attentiveness?

Listening Skills -‐ InteracNon


What experiences do you have where the

interviewee showed good or poor interaction skills?

Listening Skills – Body Language


What experiences do you have where the interviewee showed good or poor body language?

EXERCISE Listening Skills


FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU NEED

SomeNmes we don’t really know… unNl its too late and we got what we don’t want. And many Nmes we keep making the same mistakes…


Applying Quality Models to People

Applying Quality Models to People Looking at qualifications Resumes

People Quality


Quality In Use How they can really get the job done Can they fit in and contribute to the company culture

Fit into Culture

Get the job done for real

In use = On the job = Real Situation


Influences and Depends On

Qualifications can lead to good performance on the job But not necessarily


FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU NEED START WITH THE END IN MIND

What kind of team are you trying to build? Build out your people quality model


Start With the End in Mind

COMMITMENT -‐ to the purpose and values of an organizaNon provides a clear sense of direcNon. •  Team members should understand how their work fits into

corporate objecNves and agree that their team's goals are achievable and aligned with corporate mission and values.

•  Willing to put aside personal needs for the benefit of the team or the company.

•  Goals are developed with team prioriNes in mind. •  Team ground rules are set with consideraNon for both

company, team and individual values. •  Team members use alignment with purpose, values, and goals

as the compass for soluNons. XBOSo=, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 36

Start With the End in Mind CONTRIBUTION •  Need people who have strong technical and interpersonal skills

and are willing to learn. •  Need self-‐leaders who take responsibility for gewng things

done, but with workload balance across the team •  Level of individual contribuNon is dependent on: inclusion,

confidence, and empowerment –  Confidence in self and team affects the amount of energy a team

member invests in an endeavor. If it appears that the hard work is likely to end in success, employees are more likely to contribute.

–  Confidence can be fostered by providing feedback, coaching, assessment, and professional development opportuniNes.


Start With the End in Mind COMMUNICATION •  Members must be able to say what they think, ask for help,

share new or unpopular ideas, and risk making mistakes. •  Friendly, open, and posiNve communicaNon plays a vital role

in creaNng cohesiveness. •  CommunicaNons are more likely when individuals know and

respect one another. Team members usually show caring by asking about each other's lives outside of work, respecNng individual differences, joking, and generally making all feel welcome.

•  Open communicaNon -‐ members must provide honest feedback, accept construcNve criNcism, and address issues head-‐on.


FOR THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMITMENT, CONTRIBUTION AND COMMUNICATION

EXERCISE – What quesNons, situaNons would you ask the interviewee?


Start With the End in Mind COOPERATION •  Flying solo can only go so far •  For agile, success depends upon the degree of

interdependence recognized within the team. •  EffecNve cooperaNve behaviors include

–  Follow-‐through –  Accuracy –  Timeliness –  CreaNvity –  Spirit


CooperaNve Behaviors •  Follow-‐through -‐ "You can count on it.” Team members must

trust that the job will be done and be aware that everything that they do-‐or don't do-‐impacts someone else.

•  Accuracy – Accuracy reflects personal pride in work and commitment to uphold the standards of the team.

•  CreaPvity -‐ InnovaNon flourishes when individuals feel supported by colleagues in a cooperaNve environment where members forgive mistakes, respect individual differences, and shi= their thinking from a point of view to a viewing point.

•  Timeliness – CooperaNve team members respect the Nme of others by arriving for meeNngs on Nme, sharing informaNon promptly, communicaNng succinctly, and asking "Is this a good Nme?" before iniNaNng interacNons.

•  Spirit – A team is similar to a family. You can't have your way all of the Nme, and-‐to add value-‐you must develop a generous spirit.


FOR THE CHARACTERISTIC OF COOPERATION



Start With the End in Mind CONFLICT Management •  Conflict or differences are inevitable in the form of tension, hidden agendas, and stubborn posiNons.

•  If conflicts are resolved and managed effecNvely, the team will be able to maintain trust – What typical conflicts do you see? –  If you were in a situaNon where you and the developer/qa disagreed about a defect, how did you handle it?

–  If you disagreed with the … , did you voice your view?


Start With the End in Mind

Adaptability to Change •  Tom Peters -‐ "The surviving companies will, above all, be flexible responders that create market iniNaNves. This has to happen through people.”

•  Most agile teams operate in a constantly changing environment

•  Teams and its members must not only respond to change, but someNmes iniNate it.


Start With the End in Mind CollaboraPon with the big goal in mind •  Team members think about performance in relaNonship to the company, team members,

other teams, corporate prioriNes, customer needs, and quality measures. This awtude leads to behaviors such as:

–  Volunteer to help without being asked –  Cover for each other in a pinch –  Congratulate each other publicly –  Share resources –  Find ways to celebrate together –  Have Nme before and a=er meeNngs for brief socializaNon –  Schedule team lunches –  Create occasional team projects outside of work –  Take training together –  Provide feedback to one another on development and suggesNons for improvement –  Have monthly cross-‐departmental meeNngs, inviNng representaNves to their own team

meeNng –  ”Lend and borrow" during peak Nmes, and combining efforts on a corporate or

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FOR THE CHARACTERISTICS CONFLICT, ADAPTABILITY AND COLLABORATION



Qualities And Characteristics

•  What are qualities and characteristics to look for in your spouse/employee?

•  What are qualities and characteristics to avoid?

•  How important are certain traits? •  Let’s build our ‘model’

Build a People Quality Model Looking at qualifications Resumes


Build a People-‐In-‐Use Model In use = On the job = Real Situation


Keeping Employees Quality in Use for the Long Term

•  Encourage employees to adapt – Evaluate regularly – Reward high-‐value employees

•  Engage And Empower Employees – Give people the opportunity to own what they do –  If not, you get : ‘Check please’ clock watchers. – Open communicaNon to engage and empower employees

Once you have been able to attract top talent, how do you

retain it?


Take-‐Aways-‐Summary 1.  Figure out who you are and what you want. 2.  Alract those people you want. 3.  Develop a quesNon database and exercise database to verify

people have the characterisNcs, qualiNes, skills and hands-‐on capabiliNes you need.

4.  Keep them, just like keeping customers, keeping employees is even more important

People Quality

People Quality Quality in

Use


Thanks QuesNons and Answers Please fill out an evaluation form

and drop it in the collection basket located at the back of the room.

Philip Lew @philiplew [email protected]

Some resources: http://www.xbosoft.com/knowledge_center/

www.xbosoft.com

Make sure you’ve done all you can to get the

right team members just as you would your

spouseJ

applying courtship principles: hiring for the long term

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