Adding a new face to a senior leadership team can have a huge impact on the diversity of thought, range of skills and approaches to work, the team dynamics and the culture. These elements can, of course, have a significant knock-on impact for the rest of the organisation. It is essential that you are armed with as much insight as possible, as early as possible, to help new hires achieve success as individuals, within the team and within the organisation at large.
But what about if multiple senior appointments are taking place simultaneously? Why recruit in the plural?
Often an organisation might need to make two key hires who will need to work closely together: hiring both at the same time provides a unique opportunity to consider each individual’s personality, how well they may work together and whether they complement one another in terms of work approach and skills.
Recruiting panels should ideally include individuals with the skills to highlight key aspects of each candidate and discuss the ways in which they may work with each other. This can serve to highlight any areas that could cause potential conflict between preferred candidates so that this can be addressed through the on-boarding process. Development plans and strategies can then be put in place to encourage the best possible working relationship early on.
Ensuring integration with the wider team
Prior to assessing individual candidates, it can often be helpful to review the existing team, or indeed key individuals who will work with the new hire, to establish a clear picture of the strengths, behaviours and potential development areas. These insights help determine the behaviours and skills that can add diversity and value to a team, and therefore establish which candidate may fit best for a successful team dynamic. This is a beneficial exercise whether you’re recruiting for one role or multiple.
Once each individual has come into their new role, group development sessions can help the team get to know each other better in a number of ways:
Identifying strong combinations
A strong leader is able to recognise their own shortfalls and the areas in which they perhaps need support from others. No individual can be everything to all people, therefore it is important that new hires are able to complement one another, working together to deliver the best outcomes for their organisation.
CONTACT US
If you are interested to hear more about how we could work in partnership with you and your organisation, please do get in touch with our Leadership Services team on leadershipservices@saxbam.com
