Ever bumped into a post-turtle in your business journey? If you’re left wondering, let’s paint a picture. Imagine driving along a country road and spotting a turtle precariously balanced atop a fence post. Clearly, the turtle didn’t hoist itself up there, has no clue what to do next, and you can’t help but wonder who the misguided individual was that put it there. Translate this to the corporate landscape, and, there you have it – a post-turtle. A person occupying a position they’re wholly unqualified for.
We’ve all encountered post-turtles, and in some instances, we’ve even been the ones responsible for their creation. In our eagerness to reward hardworking employees, we sometimes bypass due diligence, neglecting to evaluate their aptitude, skills, and support system for the new role. Consequently, we end up creating our post-turtles, setting them up for failure.
As you contemplate internal promotions, make sure to put candidates through the same rigors as external hires. This isn’t groundbreaking advice, but it’s something we often forget and need to be reminded of.
Post-turtles aren’t just a product of internal promotions; they can also be external hires. The resume-hopping candidate who clinches promotions by shifting jobs is a classic example. If a resume reveals a pattern of job changes every 18 months to two years, with promotions at each hop, it should raise eyebrows.
The lack of internal promotions could suggest an inability to progress within an organization. If they couldn’t demonstrate competence in their previous roles, what makes you think they’ll excel in yours? Therefore, always judge candidate competency through behavioral interviewing, delve deep, and ensure their past performance matches their resume.
Remember, it’s easy to get swept away by an appealing candidate, but thorough vetting is crucial. Don’t let your business fall into the post-turtle trap. And if you already have a post-turtle on your hands, remember – it’s not about finger-pointing, it’s about learning and improving.
Continue to grow your business and strategically dodge those post-turtles.
If you ever run into a business puzzle or want to discuss a particular topic, don’t hesitate to get in touch. After all, sharing is caring, and we’re all in this together.
- Hugh Reardon
