Hire the Right People to Execute Your Strategy

Hire the Right People to Execute Your Strategy

• October 10, 2022
• Posted By Adrienne Guerrero

This article was originally published at A Leadership Beyond. See the original here.

A Leadership Beyond is a collaboration between Positive Delta Founder, Adrienne Guerrero and Tom Rosenak of Diamond Mind Enterprises. Published bi-monthly, it features articles, interviews, and videos that will connect you with a diverse panel of experts who share strategies, tools and techniques for leadership.

We are excited to share our conversation with Dan Adams, an experienced Learning & Development Leader who is passionate about Tech, Cars, and Saving the Planet. 

In this conversation we are taking a case study approach to demonstrate the practical application of using Predictive Index to quickly hire the right people to execute a new strategy. 

This is a case study on how Predictive Index, “quite frankly saved our butts. Predictive Index was the difference between success and failure.” 

Dan was part of a team developing strategy for a large product launch. This was an innovative product, a new category within the consumer electronics field. 

The pilot release was a huge success in terms of sales – far exceeded the goal and expectations. But that was short-lived as customers started returning the product, feeling frustrated by the things it could not do. This high rate of product returns not only weighed down profitability but also risked brand integrity.  

How to turn this around? Strategy B: Sell differently. Consumers need to understand the product and make an informed decision, not only be influenced by the great prices.  

This required a different type of sales representative from the pilot sales reps. Dan determined a pivot was needed to do the best to support the existing team, while at the same time striving to change the culture by hiring people most likely to adapt this mindset from the get-go. He looked to Predictive Index to guide a new strategy. 

Predictive Index enabled Dan’s company to: 

• Analyze the data on sales and returns and match the data to the individual sales representatives, then find clear patterns of behavioral traits that led to success. This became a model for success.  
• Create a candidate profile range fitting those most likely to succeed – one most inclined to educate the customer while keeping the eye on getting the right consumers matched with this product. 
• Hire to this profile and set clear expectations in the job description. 

Summary of Result: A long-term sales model that focused on creating a less transactional, more consultative approach that included both hiring the right people and giving existing people opportunity and support to rise to the challenge at hand. 

Summary of Benefit: Speed to value. This strategy could have been developed over time, but having the data shortens the cycle and eases the communication of the vision. 

Thank you to Dan for sharing his experience using Predictive Index to drive results (high sales, lower returns) by aligning his business strategy and his people strategy. 

We welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. To discover how to realize these benefits for your organization and your people, contact us at connect@aleadershipbeyond.com. 

Tom & Adrienne