He may be a management guru and an esteemed Wharton professor, but his expertise in organizational psychology remains applicable to anyone in the modern workplace. Fortune 500 executives and industry leaders listen to Grant’s ability to understand the determining social and psychological dynamics that underlie business. One might call him this generation’s Peter Drucker.

In short, hiring managers should be subscribing to his TED original podcast or dropping a few of Grant’s books in their Amazon cart, like Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success.

But his achievements and expertise aren’t the entire reason to call for his “people management” sainthood.

What’s so incredible about Grant is that his methods remain down-to-earth and accessible. He could be withholding from the mere mortals overseeing talent. He could be publishing his insights in an Invite-only blog. Fortunately for us, Grant has one foot planted in the Twittersphere; he delivers 140+ charactered grains of wisdom that entrepreneurs and managers can easily implement.

We’ve sorted through the Holy Scroll (pun intended) of Grant’s Twitter profile (@AdamMGrant) to showcase his ability to prioritize the human element whilst providing practical suggestions in navigating the social workplace.

How to define a leader

Too-experienced is not a thing

The real performance review

Why choose the expert

It’s okay to hire feather rufflers

Hiring 101

What team work looks like

Beware of bias when hiring

Practical tip—don’t forget it

Work with your weakness differently

At absence.io , we’ve optimized absence management. Companies like MyTheresa, Check24, and even governments trust our tool to easily manage their employees’ planned (and unplanned) absences.

As another saint, Saint DJ Khalid would say, “Bless up”.

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The post If You Hire, Then You Need to Know These 10 Lines from the Modern Day Peter Drucker appeared first on Happy Employees, Happy Employers - Our Blog!.

Why are they essential to a company’s bottom line? Learn why here.

But how do hiring managers actually screen for originals? First Round Capital, the venture capital firm that has invested in Refinery29, Birchbox, and Mint, hosted Grant to tell how to search for originals. After collecting data and stories for his book, Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World Grant noticed patterns when profiling what an original looks like—and how to best find them.

The Forgotten Catalyst

Behind each disruptive technology, innovation, or movement, there are individuals who act as catalysts to the cause, but fade into the shadow of what they created. Grant takes the example of Lucy Stone, an “outright original” in the Suffragette movement; Stone launched newspapers, led marches and conventions, and was the first female to earn a degree in Massachusetts—and who was so radical that more well-known Suffragette leaders, like Susan B. Anthony, refused association with her.

When screening, ask about their role in solving specific problems in their previous place of employment. We often mistake leaders for the main catalysts; in fact, it’s often the quieter personalities that quietly navigate a team towards a new direction. Lucy Stone took on prickly problems—and redirected the suffragette movement, yet no one really knows her impact. Look in how potential hires talk about their role. Do they talk about it in terms of rote tasks? Or do they talk about the concepts that led them to the decisions they made and role they took on? This will help you navigate the talent management dilemma in finding the forgotten catalyst.

The Troublemakers

What may seem like a “trouble maker” to authorities, might be a company’s greatest innovator. Grant cites a conversation with a military general who gave him a list of insubordinates. But Grant followed up the list by asking for which individuals were valued by higher-management. The General narrowed down the list to a valuable set of originals. Original Sarah Robb O’Hagan was fired from big brands, Virgin and Atari. She went on to be hired as President of Gatorade and Equinox. While at Gatorade, she was the one leading the way that Gatorade be marketed as a “sports performance drink”; this concept eventually saved the company.

Look for someone that is confident in their abilities and possesses a strong opinion on their work. A manager does not certainly have to agree with their vision, or this would totally negate the whole idea of creating a culture of new ideas and personalities. How has talent communicated their vision throughout their work career? If they have gotten in trouble with authority, inquire as to why rather than thinking they are simply being difficult.

People Innovators

Non-conformists inspire originality amongst their team. Focusing on team assumptions and thinking, originals aim to shift the balance by taking unusual approaches. Grant mentions Wade Eyerly, founder of airline startup SurfAir. Eyerly does the opposite in standard hiring practice: he does not hire locals. He believes when people locate to Utah to work for SurfAir they build their communities around the company, creating a more resilient ecosystem.

Inquire talent how they inspire originality amongst the team. Ask how they do it amongst their work colleagues or even friends. The potential hires that have a ways to go in the area of originality will probably have not initiated any personal or professional methods to foster creative originality. Look for those who have broug.

Hiring is essentially people curating; different personalities and points of view make work interesting—-and most importantly, truly effective. Venture capitalist and former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya founded Social Capital in order to invest in businesses that improve the lives of people; he oversees a team of 20+, ranging from all walks of life. In an interview about team diversity, Palihapitiya said:

“Diversity needs to be more broadly defined. People think, “Oh, let’s just have some more people of color and everything is gonna work out.” I don’t think that’s what diversity means.

Diversity means you have a really interesting complexion of experiences. One way to solve for experiences is gender and race. Another way to solve for experience is roles and how you grew up, those types of things.

Both are really important. What you really want to do is create intellectual conflict.”

Hire Originals and watch your culture burgeon.

Manage your talents with absence.io

At absence.io, we’re doing something different when it comes to absence management. Governments, companies–like MyTheresa and Check24–trust our wild, original ways to help them navigate planned (and unplanned) employee absence.

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What can a crowd of pseudo-hippies in flower crowns and colorful kimonos teach about hiring?

Two words: Branded hiring.

Coachella’s look and feel has been heavily perpetuated and embraced by festival-goers and brands. The music festival has built up a reputation for bringing in pop culture favorites and indie artists—a veritable mixed bag. However performers and attendees unite under a common code of free spirited dress and behavior—and the eagerness to document the Instagram-worthy atmosphere.

Branded Hiring: Build a Known Hiring Attitude

Figure out what you want the perception to be of your organization’s recruitment process. It’s the image that potential and current hires hold in their head as they interact with the company. If potential employees enjoy the experience, they will certainly refer their friends. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, it’s important to make every impression last—the war of talent keeps intensifying. While more jobs are being listed, fewer skilled prospects are arriving on the job market. Coachella has flourished despite the surge of growth in new music festivals; it has retained its brand and held fast to creating its experience. Take advantage of every strategic opportunity to build your brand, including branding the hiring process.

1. Target the non-active job seekers

Utilize the message channels that 80 percent of non-job hunters are on. These potential candidates are already employed, but would be open to a new position if it seems like a better fit. General Electric switched their brand from a utilities company to a technology innovator by using a different channel: TV. They ran ads that were viewed by computer scientists and other already-employed technologists. Coachella allowed other brands to piggy-back on their success, opening the door for various demographics. The festival and brands use several mediums of advertising.  Get creative and try new sites to scout out hires. If you’re uneasy about diverting from the standard job posting site, big companies are already reiterating. Amazon posted jobs on Tinder whilst Spotify turned into a recruitment site for Goldman Sachs. Your turn.

2. Keep it fun

You don’t have to pay for a Kylie Jenner Instagram post to keep the recruitment process relevant or digital. Think about the incorporating fun tech. Try virtual simulations during an interview leg. Companies like General Mills utilize the tech to pique recruit interest and build on the idea they are tech-savvy. Or take a cue from McDonalds and Deloitte that had employees make Snapchat-like videos to share what they love about working at their company. It’s the same fear of missing out when we’re watching our friends dance to Frank Ocean in the Coachella Valley; we want to have a slice of the action.

Branded hiring is your best offense in securing the best talent in a competitive skill market.

The other best offense: absence.io  Companies like MyTheresa and Check24 manage their team absences easily and breezily. Kind of like dancing in the Californian desert.
Flower crowns not included.

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According to an article published in scientific journal Nature, hiring managers need to to keep in mind the huge shift in priorities, goals, and culture.

Academia is a highly-hierarchical workplace. Individual achievement is the status quo. Teamwork is a limited experience.
You see where expectations may affect a potential fit for an internal role.

If you’re talent hunting amongst the academic crowd—or are a researcher needing tips on how to convert your CV to showcase how you add value to a business setting—read on.

1. List out job goals and interests

This may sound a bit redundant, but some applicants are not clear why they want to switch to an industry job. They’re not clear on how their expertise and skills can translate into business life. Sure, a PhD may know oncology like the back of their hand, but how does their interest align with the role itself? How do they see their career trajectory evolving given their background?

2. How set are they in following their own experiences and/or interests?

Academia teaches researchers to zero-in on a niche aspect of research. They have little time or motivation to focus on anything else but that subject matter. In a business setting though, much more flexibility is demanded. They will be joining a team, which possesses a variety of needs. A researcher may be asked to learn about an entirely different field. Do they seem open to this kind of flexibility? Or do they only want to stick to products that compliments their own interest? There is no right or wrong answer here, though it is something hiring managers need to consider when evaluating a candidate.

3. What exact products are they interested in your company?

This is Interview 101, but when considering a researcher candidate you will be able to understand exactly where their expertise meets their interests. Maybe the talent has a background in electrical engineering, but is also interested in the genetics tests it sends to doctors across the country. This is their opportunity to relay what their focus is and for you to ascertain a fit.

4. Do they have any expert insights into the regulatory challenges your company faces?

Academics know the technical ins and outs of their field. However do they understand the “bigger picture” of how their fields fits into the context of the market? This shows their thinking about the field as a business connected to other verticals.

5. Are they aware of how their skills and the position fit into the larger business context of the company?

A smart interviewee will have thought about to emphasize project management, team building, or other skills critical to an industry workplace. But they will also envision how both their technical and soft skills will move the company towards its goals.

6. Have they taken part in any industry-centric initiative or program led by their academic institution?

This is an opportunity to learn whether this has been a long-term goal of the candidate. In Australia, professional companies saw a need to bridge the gap between industry-curious researchers and their own enterprises. Scientists learn about companies through tours, talks, and mentorship. If a candidate has participated in a similar program, inquire about their takeaways.

7. Have they been recommended by a company employee?

The best introduction is always a warm one. Hiring from academia and then transitioning to a business environment can be a challenge. An internal referral strongly suggests the scientist is business-set, ready, and go.

Be smart

Discovering talent is a big deal. When you do find that magical gem of a hire, you’ll want to keep them (and you) happy. How? Glad you asked: Planning team absences. It sounds like a small thing, but it actually can make or break your business. Companies like MyTheresa and Check24 trust us to get it right.

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