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Why beliefs and motives often predict behavior better than skills alone.

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Morning Minute 8.11.26

Understanding their Why Before their What Why beliefs and motives often predict behavior better than skills alone.

My sales career began about the same time as Joey’s.

In our third month, Joey sold five cars.

I sold thirteen.

Frustrated, Joey wanted to know why.

Joey had built homes. He naturally focused only on what people wanted to buy.

I had spent years leading restaurant managers, where success depended on understanding something different:

​Why did people choose to work for us?​

​Why did managers choose to lead?​

​Why did customers choose to return?​

That same lesson followed me into automobile sales.

Before trying to sell someone a car, I wanted to understand why they were shopping.​

Great leadership works the same way.

Before asking what someone can do for your team, understand why they want to be part of it.

My friend Dave Anderson frequently taught: “Hire for attitude. Train for skills.”​

I would take that one step further.

A person’s beliefs shape their attitude, and their attitude influences how they will contribute.

So, before hiring, consider these questions:

1. Why does your team exist? Be clear about your mission before adding someone to it.
2. Why does this person want to join you? Listen for motives, not rehearsed answers.
3. Why do they believe what they believe? By asking open-ended questions you let them do most of the talking. Pay close attention to determine what has shaped what they believe.
4. Does their why align with your why? Skills can be developed. Misaligned values are much harder to change.

Too many leaders primarily hire for skills or experience.

Great leaders also hire for purpose – why applicants do what they do.

Because the why behind today's choices often predicts tomorrow's performance.

People don't do their best for just any job. Their best performance supports a purpose they believe in.

​Understand the why first.​

​Then evaluate the what.​

And remember:

Information without transformation is wasted energy.

Keep Learning! Keep Leading!

I am offering you a free Leadership Resource: Interview Questions That Reveal Character Hiring the right people starts with asking the right questions.

Get the same effective, open-ended questions I use to discover a candidate's beliefs, attitudes, and motivation. These are the questions I use to ensure a candidate truly fits our mission.

Click HERE and type: "I want your interview questions."

They will be sent directly to your inbox free of charge for you to use during every interview.

That is today’s Morning Minute.

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In watching a short video on the life and accomplishments of Randy Owen, the leader of the massively successful band, ALABAMA, he shared that as a child he was influenced by a short poem about life entitled Don't Quit. These words have a ton of meaning for anyone seeking success.

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