You Too Can Inspire Greatness

Surely most human resources managerswould agree there exist similarities between winning in sports and winning inbusiness. Both take determination, talent, hard work, strategic planning and a“killer instinct.” But can you inspire these same qualities in yourworkforce?

There’s really no reason why not,says Bob Bassman, 61, chairman and CEO of Dallas, Texas-based Kaye/BassmanInternational Corp., an executive search and consulting firm, and staffingpartner of Management Recruiters International. Bassman has lectured nationallyat various CEO clubs about the connection between competition and motivation insports, and how these same principles can be applied successfully in a businessenvironment.

Bassman, the current Amateur WorldPowerlifting champion and a black belt in tae kwon do, says it’s every HRmanager’s responsibility to make sure employees understand how to achievepersonal growth and contribute to the overall success of the company throughdiscipline, sheer determination and a winning attitude. Not that these realitiesare unknown to us, says Bassman. “We just choose to ignore them. They are partof a disbelief in HR that says the mindset of a champion belongs on the playingfield, not in the boardroom.”

To learn more about what it takes toinspire competitiveness in your employees, Workforce spoke with Bassman abouthis philosophy on sports, business and the winning edge.

What exactly are the similarities between sports and business?

More than anything, it’s the ability to think and act as a winner. In powerlifting, I have only one shot to lift the weight. There are no second chances. In business, it’s the same. You typically have only one chance to land that client or make that deal.

What exactly is the ‘mindset of champions,’ and how does it apply to human resources managers?

What’s important on the playing field and in the boardroom isn’t always winning. No one can win all the time. What’s important is that you’ve given your best, that you’ve done the best you can do under the circumstances. And you start by identifying and defining your employees. Hire only the best, and tolerate nothing less. Hire the people who are receptive to your kind of philosophy. Employees need to understand the idea of giving their best. And they need to be receptive to learning. It’s difficult to instill the mindset of a champion in someone who’s closed to the whole idea.

How do you go about finding the right employee who’ll fit into your culture, especially in a tight labor market?

Good people are always available if you know where to look, and I’m not talking about just the unemployed. If you’re a good HR manager, you can track the best talent in the marketplace.

Of course, you’ve got to have the guts to turn down people who don’t fit. I understand the pressure HR managers are under to hire the right person and quickly, but it’s equally as important not to make a bad hiring decision. Sure, there are deadlines and projects that don’t get completed, and that’s when you may have to settle for less – and that’s tragic. So where do you find these people? Through networking, creative and effective advertising, and even a good search firm.

What is it about behavioral-based interviewing that appeals to you?

For many companies, the days when applicants can prepare well-rehearsed answers to traditional, opinion-based questions has decreased in favor of a more in-depth process known as behavioral interviewing. With behavior-based questioning, the interviewer supplements the typical inquiries about the candidate’s background and future goals by asking for specific examples and opinions about their past experiences that can be applied to the job position. This technique has been around for decades, but it’s really starting to pick up steam again.

These answers will tell us if this person is a potential champion. We’ll ask questions about the individual’s ability to press on and do the best he or she can. If the question is structured properly, the answer will tell you if they have the capacity to do the job.

Other ingredients that we use are the shared-interviewing procedure. I generally conduct the first interview. Some may consider it a poor use of my time, but there’s nothing in the world more important to our organization than hiring the right person. If they pass my screening, I’ll have them interview with other senior officers, then the acid test – the staff. We have 61 associates, and a candidate may talk to 10 to 12 associates. They can fool me and other leaders, but they can’t fool the staff.

Once you’ve hired the best, how do you instill this type of thinking in your workforce?

A happy employee is free to perform for the company. Therefore, the first goal of an HR manager should be to improve the work environment for all employees. HR managers also have the luxury of a benchmark in the employee who’s successful. They should hold that standard high and reject employees who don’t stand up.

HR managers need to find and internalize their company’s vision, and affiliate themselves with individuals who fit into the culture. They also need to help employees find that “one thing” that will galvanize them into performance, inspire them to achieve – which is unique to each individual within the organization.

So what techniques can a company use to instill that knowledge in a new employee?

You can start by repeating the organization’s mission statement, the company’s value statements and its code of ethics. All of that can permeate and carry forward from HR staff and line managers. Every activity and action has to be with the mission of the organization in mind – short- and long-term goals.

And they must have the pride factor. Individuals who latch on to the pride factor – the pride of finishing, the pride of the organization – can readily identify what the organization is trying to accomplish. If the business has pride at being No. 1, then the person who joins that organization needs to have that shared vision.

How do you teach employees to deal with failure?

No one can win all the time. It’s important that human resources managers be able to understand that failing is not just defeat, it’s a learning experience. If someone never fails, he or she really isn’t stepping up to the plate often enough. The critical part of failing is to fail quickly, deliver the bad news, make corrections and start again.

How do you internalize the meaning of success?

Success by our definition is a progressive realization of a worthwhile predetermined goal that, when attained, is immediately replaced with a more ambitious challenge and new goal. In understanding what success means within a company, the goal has to be spelled out, and once you’ve attained the goal, it has to be replaced for greater magnitude and the greater good of the organization. HR managers need to keep planning ahead for additional success, and never rest on their laurels.

How important is work ethic?

Nothing will take the place of work ethic. HR managers need to instill it in themselves and others. You need to find out what the person’s work ethic is before you hire him or her. Are they willing to work hard? How many times do they repeat a mistake before they change their behavior? With hard work, application and correction, progress has to be made. Then you assess and make adjustments.

How important is goal setting?

Absolutely critical. Without knowing where you’re going, you’ll most certainly never get there. In setting goals, however, do remember the definition of success: The goal you set must be worthwhile, one that’s practiced progressively, and it must be articulated in advance.

What about employees who just want to come to work, put in their 7 1/2 hours and go home?

We try to hire the people who meet our dreams and standards. Once they’ve joined the company a different mindset can take over, sure. But then we go to them and ask them what they want to achieve. Once we’ve established that, we hold them responsible and accountable. Most companies inflict a goal on the individuals. We found it more productive to help them set their own goals and make them accountable for what they’ve established for themselves.

Workforce, September 1999,Vol 78, No 9, pp. 92-93  SubscribeNow!