Episode 021: The Battle-Axe and the Plug and Play

As a recruiter, have you ever had the experience where every candidate falls short because someone on the team was so amazing, that everyone else is just dull and lifeless compared to them?

If you've been in management for awhile, you'll inherently get what I am talking about in this episode. We're talking about the person who is so natural at their job, they "wow" every single person they come in contact with.

Who are these people? Once a blue moon, a person is hired that radically defines what "right" looks like and their job performance is so surreal and proficient, they are basically a savant. One problem that arises for a recruiter or manager is the Contrast Effect. In this episode of The Rebellious Recruiter with Daava Mills, I define the Contrast Effect, and the best way to avoid it when managing 2 very rare and special types of employees in order to get the most from the whole team. 

Daava's Rebellious Recruiting Notes:

• The Contrast Effect looks not at how employees do their job, but how we see them.
• The Contrast Effect is most likely to occur when we perceive the target as average, when the target is unfamiliar, when the perceiver has enough cognitive resources, the context is homogeneous, and the context is negative.
• The "Battle-Axe" and the "Plug and Play" types of employees go to work everyday because their job is where they are self actualized.
• Don't go looking for these people in interviews, but learn to recognize them once they are on board.
• The "Battle-Axe" is the person you call on when you need something expertly done; they know they are good at their job, they know why things work, and they know their limits. 
• When you hire a Battle-Axe, use them to help you create SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and to give tips to your team on daily tasks and objectives.
• Never compare your staff to the Battle-Axe.
• The "Plug and Play" is driven by an insatiable curiosity, they are problem solvers, have an ability to dial in on departmental issues, and they are managers that are great at deploying their team’s talent in a way that is shockingly brilliant. 
• If you ever stumble into a Plug-&-Play, tell them the end goal and let them do their thing.
• Plug-&-Plays have rippling effects that positively affect your business for years.

Episode Links:

The Rebellious Recruiter

Contrast Effect

Episode 018: Unwritten Rules

C.L.A.M.S.

Alan Mulally: Leaders Must Serve, with Courage