| Here's a question for you. Do the people you hire | | | | resources addressing a SINGLE cause up the river |
| solve problems or create new ones? I know what | | | | instead of the MANY effects downstream. |
| your answer should be. But, that's not always the | | | | How many times have you seen managers |
| case. | | | | attempt to solve your business problems |
| I'd like to share a story I read in a book called | | | | downriver? For example, let's suppose that you |
| Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins many | | | | recognize a problem with employee theft. Your |
| years ago that I think really illustrates a common | | | | managers would be likely to spend a bunch of |
| sense approach to improving almost any business. | | | | time and resources correcting the problem. They |
| It might help yours. | | | | might do things like interview security companies |
| It's the story of a man standing on the shores of | | | | or buy surveillance equipment. |
| a river. Out in the current he sees someone | | | | Wouldn't it just be easier to solve a problem like |
| struggling and screaming for help. He dives in, | | | | that in advance, before it occurred by hiring the |
| makes a daring rescue and pulls the drowning | | | | right people for your jobs in the first place? Think |
| victim to safety. He lies on the beach, exhausted, | | | | about it. If you want to reduce employee theft, |
| only to look up and see two more people hollering | | | | then hire honest people. |
| for help. He dives in, pulls both to safety and is | | | | Pre employment tests (psychometric tests) exist |
| completely exhausted. All of his energy is spent. | | | | that can help you find out if people are honest, |
| The second he looks up, he sees four more | | | | reliable and drug free before you offer them a |
| people coming down the stream screaming for | | | | job. You can use employment assessment tools |
| help. | | | | to find out if salespeople can sell, if managers can |
| The moral of the story is that if he had just | | | | manage and if workers are likely to show up for |
| taken the time to walk a short distance up the | | | | work on time. The right employment |
| river, he would have discovered the ONE person | | | | assessments can help you solve some of your |
| throwing all these people in the river in the first | | | | most pressing business challenges before they |
| place. He could have saved all his time, energy and | | | | occur. |