Performance Tasks: The Invaluable Tool For Hiring Managers

When running a leadership search, the worst thing you can do is to make a hiring decision after one interview. Evaluate applicants in action by having them participate in performance tasks that involve members of the community. A few examples of early performance tasks could include a writing assignment, plan development, or training session. Never be afraid to have multiple late stages, from quarterfinal to semifinal to final round. Each new phase should include at least one new type of performance task, to give your hiring team yet more data points when deliberating. Some candidates may grumble, but those that back out will show you that they are not “all-in.”  The candidates you want are the ones that will be determined to show you all they’ve got on each subsequent lap.  Hiring is a marathon, not a sprint.