Aesoph Group

By Christopher Aesoph, MA

       What I do for a living is find the right people for the right positions for my clients. But I’m not a head-hunter. I’m a management team builder. Almost always, the talent needed to move my client companies forward is already present within the company.

Most company owners believe they have the best people on their management and sales teams. Yet there is that nagging doubt: would you know it if they weren’t the best? Here are four simple tips that will tell you when your people are in their ideal roles: 

1. They make a difficult job look easy. Most of the time, when people are in their ideal roles, they are able to make their tasks seem effortless.
2. They play well with others. When people are in ideal roles, their need to strut, defend, protect, or intimidate lessens. Ever come across a customs agent who isn’t in their ideal role? It’s not a pleasant experience.
3. Their teams and departments perform with a minimum of crisis. There is an upbeat attitude about the future. Problems are anticipated, planned for, and minimized. On the other hand, when not in an ideal role, your manager will appear frazzled and breathless. This is not a good long-term condition to be in.
4. Junior staff thrive under their care. New talent emerges from the department because the manager is smart and confident enough to groom less experienced employees.

When you see these four things happening, celebrate and hang on to that employee with hoops of steel. When you sense these four elements are lacking, instead of abandoning the employee, see if you can assist them to find a better fit within the company. Finding an ideal role isn’t easy for most people, and it shows a lot of respect on your part if you take the time to help them along that path.