Beyond Skills: Why Personality is Key to Building a Successful Team
When it comes to hiring, many employers focus solely on a candidate's skill set, often overlooking the importance of personality. However, personality can be a critical factor in an employee’s success in a company. While skills are essential, personality can make a significant impact on a person's ability to succeed in a role and contribute positively to the company's culture. When working with different clients and companies, we notice that not only professional skills are important in the candidate search criteria, but also personal qualities that match the company's culture.
In this article, I will explore the reasons why it is essential to hire a person based on their personality and not just their skills.
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Skills can be taught, unlike personality. While skills can be learned, personality is intrinsic to an individual. No matter how much training an employee receives, they cannot change their personality traits. It is important to ensure that the candidate's personality aligns with the company's culture and values before hiring them. When employees' personalities align with the company culture, they are more likely to be happier and more engaged at work, leading to improved productivity, job satisfaction, and reduced turnover rates.
- Personality Can Influence Job Performance. While skills are important, they are not the only factor in job performance. An employee's personality can significantly impact their performance in a role. For example, an employee who is highly motivated, proactive, and resilient is likely to perform well even in challenging situations. On the other hand, an employee who lacks these traits may struggle to adapt to changes or setbacks.
- Personality Can Affect Team Dynamics. Team dynamics are critical to the success of any company. If new employees’ personalities clash with their colleagues, it can lead to conflict and tension, affecting team morale and productivity. Conversely, if their personality fits well with the team, it can lead to better communication, collaboration, and productivity. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that a candidate's personality aligns with the team they will be working with.
- Personality Can Contribute to Company Culture. A company's culture is a vital aspect of its success. It is the values, beliefs, and behaviors that define the organization and its employees. The right personality traits can contribute positively to the company culture, leading to a more harmonious work environment. For example, employees with a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and willingness to learn can help create a positive work culture. In contrast, employees with a negative attitude, lack of motivation, or unwillingness to learn can create a toxic work environment.
- Personality Can Impact Customer Service. In customer-facing roles, personality is crucial to delivering exceptional customer service. A candidate's personality can significantly impact their ability to connect with customers, understand their needs, and provide appropriate solutions. For example, employees with excellent communication skills, empathy, and problem-solving abilities are likely to provide better customer service than those who lack these traits. Therefore, hiring employees with the right personality traits for customer-facing roles is essential.
While skills are important, personality is equally critical when hiring new employees. A candidate's personality can impact job performance, team dynamics, company culture, and customer service. Therefore, it's essential to ensure that a candidate's personality aligns with the company's culture and values before hiring them. By doing so, employers can create a positive work environment, and improve productivity. Hiring the right person for the job requires a balance of skills and personality, and neither should be overlooked.
