Adversity Quotient @ Work by Paul G. Stoltz PhD

Author:Paul G. Stoltz, PhD [Stoltz, Paul G., Ph.D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-06-202894-5
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2000-08-18T16:00:00+00:00

Fatal Flaw #2: Confusing Attitude with Altitude

In polling my clients, the most common and painful error they cited was hiring when desperate. To a person in this state of mind every Camper becomes a potential Climber, no matter how meager his or her past ascents.

The dangers of this flaw are numerous. Chief among them is sacrificing the careful search to bring in the greatest proportion of Climbers. Desperation-based hiring currently occurs with the new generation of employees. At its extreme are employers in Silicon Valley and other upstart areas who snatch up stereotypes, grabbing anyone with a goatee, body piercing, or a tattoo. However, this flaw is certainly not limited to Gen-X! Desperation hiring happens in all age groups, and while it may be most obvious in the applicant-scarce high-tech industry, its practices and pitfalls can apply to any job in any industry. There are two problems with this approach.

First, you must be careful—you might just get what you asked for! In other words, you may get all of the attitude and no performance. Many young workers represent a classic values clash with the established corporate culture. A recent article in Fast Company magazine warns of the demands and expectations of workers entering the New Economy. These people don’t like being told what to do and are akin to self-sufficient hunters: they constantly scan for new challenges and become easily bored with anything routine. They do not want to farm; they want the quick kill and instant gratification.

They are drawn to companies with dramatic performance, quick growth, a relaxed environment, and, yes, stock options. They want to be part of a place that is on the move and making an impact in the market—and maybe the world.

Well some of them do. Today’s workforce comprises four generations, each with its own version of attitude. Each generational version may be different, but each is challenging in its own way. Even though Gen-Xers and Millennials (post-Gen-X recruits) have been part of the workforce for years, managers are still bewildered by the different values they see in young people. They perceive a poor work ethic, complete lack of loyalty, impatience, and a lot of attitude. Somewhere between Fast Company and these managers lies the truth. The reality is that these people represent the future of your workforce.

Therefore, the second reason why hiring the attitude of Gen-Xers or Millennials out of desperation can be a serious problem is that not all of them are purpose-driven Climbers or “hunters.” As with any group of folks, many pose as Climbers. The test is the incessant flow of everyday adversity.

During a recent visit to a Silicon Valley E-commerce upstart, the twenty-something president took me around the facility. It had all the right stuff, including basketball hoop, nearby mountain bike trails, skateboarding in the hallway, and “cool toys,” as one twenty-four-year-old referred to the pile of technology covering his desk and the nearby floor space. The decor, if you can call it that, looked like a dorm room after a beer bash.

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