Recently, Denver has experienced a lot of rain and this week I noticed a distinct difference in my neighborhood - yards with and yards without dandelions. This got me thinking, when did we define a dandelion as a weed rather than a flower? Google tells me that the Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is the most hated weed in the United States and one of the most versatile herbs. The Dandelion is chock full of vitamins A, B, C and D and their roots are used in tea, salads and to make wine! An internet ad said, “Dandelions helped a 55 year old look 35!”, but I digress. This contradiction, where something can be so detested and something that can be so valued is an easy comparison for me to make to the work world and in particular our employees.
Why is it that an employee can thrive in one environment and yet in another be completely miserable, as well as, a daily stressor for their manager. You got it, it's all about the right fit. The right fit means skills and experience match the skills and experience required to do the job. The right fit equates an applicant’s work values and philosophy to fit with the values, philosophy and culture of an organization. The right fit, in these terms are easily recognized as important by a manager but the right fit is also about looking for the Dandelion or the “wrong” fit.
The Dandelion fit is when a manager wants to take their open position and turn it into an opportunity for growth. If you’re looking to create growth and change in your organization through the Dandelion Strategy then you need to change your recruitment and retention strategy. Growth through a Dandelion Strategy is 10% searching and accurately selecting the right candidate and 90% having the right leadership skills to ensure the work environment is conducive to their success.
We need to start with what are the characteristics of our Dandelion candidates. List the skills and abilities that aren’t on your team right now. List what other industries or fields might have candidates with transferable skills but different life experiences? List personality traits that would complement your teams? Is your team all introverts? Maybe it’s time for an extrovert! What are the demographics of your customers and the demographics of your competitors? With your new list in hand update your job title, job description, job expectations and definitely an update your job posting.
Using your new job posting you need recruit through different sources of applicant pools than you have in the past. This includes listing your job posting under different categories and industries. Use different associations, networks and LinkedIn groups. Revise you interview questions and candidate criteria and ensure your interview process includes selling the Dandelion on why they should make this risky move to a new and different organization.
The Dandelion recruitment strategy also needs a complementary onboarding and retention strategy. A manager must create an environment that welcomes and encourages their unique employee and a real commitment must be made by the manager to ensure the culture encourages this unique employee and supports them in their new ideas and new ways of working. As a manager, you also must be comfortable and open to questioning your own "status-quo" way of doing things.
Often managers create a great first week experience, but after the first week that employee is left isolated in a very different work world. A weekly one on one meeting will not suffice to successfully position this candidate in your environment. Without frequent manager and coworker support they quickly begin to feel more like the Weed Dandelion then the Flower Dandelion. When we look to push our own boundaries as a manager and the boundaries of our team it is hard work and requires regular and ongoing leadership and communication.
Ideas for managing your new Dandelion beyond their first week is a 30/60/90 day reinforcement plan and match them to a peer pal. As their leader, you need to regularly and frequently ask - what did you do differently today? What’s frustrating you the most? What barriers can I remove? Avoid the path of assimilation, their peer pal, the environment and you as their leader are there to reinforce the differences rather than how can better “fit in”.
Making the transition from weed to flower for a talented employee can be very beneficial to the employee, to the team, to the organization and to definitely to the manager’s growth. But if a manager isn't able to truly commit and adapt, or if they select the wrong unique fit or the unique fit at the wrong time. It can be very damaging to the employee, the work group and to the manager. A manager must prepare the work environment; nurture the unique employee and demonstrating the need and value to the whole group.
Tell me about a successful or unsuccessful Dandelion story you experienced?