Break the rules, set some standards

I was at the Empower conference presented by CareerBuilder this week and had the amazing pleasure of hearing Coach Mike Krzyzewski, also known as Coach K, speak about the importance of obtaining great talent. Now, let’s get one thing out of the way – as some of you may know, I’m a very proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison so there’s no doubt I was rooting for the Badgers to take the men’s basketball championship this year. And, that’s exactly what it looked like was going to happen until Duke made a jaw-dropping comeback.

I’ve always been a Coach K fan even though I’m a Badger at heart but I became an even bigger fan after hearing him speak.

Ownership: You don’t work for something; you are something. – Coach K

He talked to us about how he recruited the best players to Duke, reminding us that hiring for character is just as important as hiring for talent or skill. One of the most important lessons I took away from Coach K’s presentation is that strong teams don’t have rules; they have standards that they agree to. Some of the standards that Coach K has set with his teams include:

  • No excuses.
  • Always be on time.
  • Always be honest and tell each other the truth.

This got me thinking about my own team and field of work and what type of standards I would set with my teams. So, I talked to them. Leading a training team, here are some standards I feel are important:

  • No excuses; always be on time; always be honest and tell each other the truth. Why wouldn’t I steal those from Coach K?
  • We don’t always have to be the best but we should always try to be our best. We strive to be better every day.
  • Never stop thinking. If we stop thinking, we stop creating, innovating and improving.
  • Share our ideas and our knowledge. No one likes an information hog.
  • Be proactive about learning. Don’t wait for someone to teach us something but rather, seek opportunities to learn.
  • Hold each other accountable. Don’t be afraid to call each other out. It makes us better.

Developing standards for a team allows everyone to be on the same page, work towards a common goal and be accountable to each other. What standards would you add to this list for your team?


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How to turn candidates down and still have them love you

As I ponder all the changes in the world of recruiting and hiring, I resort back to one of the best experiences I’ve had with a company. I interviewed with Kohl’s Department Stores years ago for an internship and I did not get the job. Yet, I would recommend their stores to anyone looking to shop and their company to anyone looking for an awesome place to work.

After applying for the job, I was invited to to an interview with a recruiter. She made me feel very comfortable and was not intimidating at all. I was extremely fresh in my career so I was not used to interviews where the employer wanted to know about me personally. It was as if we we’ve been friends forever.

I got a call the next day inviting me to the last round of interviews which was held at Kohl’s headquarters. Amazing! That’s quick turnaround if I know it. I was told it would be an all day event. I thought they were joking at first but they said they would pay for me to come into the city the night before, enjoy a dinner on them and stay in a four-star hotel they paid for.

After a wonderful night, I showed up to my day of interviews with a free breakfast, a session with the CEO and other candidates and free gifts from Kohl’s stores. After I interviewed with two people, I was taken on a tour of the building and provided a free, delicious lunch. The tour included meeting all kinds of employees and hearing about their projects and stories. After my last two interviews, they paid for my ride home.

The next day, the recruiters were communicating with me already. To say the least, I was extremely disappointed that I did not get the job but I have no hard feelings towards the company because they treated me with great respect and really let me get to know their company.

This is a prime example of how to turn down a candidate and still have them love you. You don’t have to do everything that Kohl’s did but don’t leave a bad taste in candidate’s mouths. They may not be the right person for the current job but they might be the perfect person for another opening you have in the future. It’s all about creating an experience and building relationships.


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