Last November 9th, the beautiful premises of Milan-based Triennale hosted a session about the role emotional skills play to the aim of the search experience run by Claudia Paoletti, Kilpatrick Partner.
AdActa Consulting, a company specialized in managers’ training, improvement of personal efficacy and coaching staged the event. The occasion proved right to present “The Best of You“, a new managerial and professional development programme which aims at helping people identify, depending on their professional growth stage (beginner, junior, middle or senior) helpful, innovative tools for evolving and growing into the best version of themselves.
Kilpatrick’s contribution highlighted the importance of personality traits and set of values when it comes to choosing the candidate best meeting a client’s requirements. The grassroots criteria underlying a proper recruitment process reside in the headhunter’s ability to fully understand the professional profile to search alongside the ability to grasp the corporate context where fitting the candidate thoroughly. It is, thus, crucial establishing a partnership with the client to understand the values driving the company as well as to verify if they match the candidate’s.
While it is crucial running the interview extensively, it is necessary getting beyond the candidate’s opinion of him/herself. Self-perception, in fact, is often different to what the surrounding world and our fellow people think. It is thus necessary leading the candidate into lowering their defenses intending to have them adopt a relaxed attitude and answer as sincerely as possible. For this reason, it is equally vital asking the WHYs (why do you deem it essential?) to gain a deep understanding of their values.
At this stage, one may wonder which emotional skills enable the most talented candidate to stand out and outshine the people on the short list.
Claudia Paoletti holds the view that the candidates most likely to draw the headhunters to their side are self-possessed individuals who show level-headedness to the people around them, irrespective of their role and ranking. These people know their mind, are self-confident and pursue clear-cut objectives. At the same time, while it is people who can recognize and accept their limits, their actions are informed by transparency.
These are the characteristics of the candidate who most comfortably faces the change process typically occurring when plunging oneself into a new role and joining a new company. This phase often triggers off the vulnerability underlying many candidates which often prevents them from daring and accepting the risk of a fresh start.
More and more often, the headhunter stands by the candidate in what appears as a very tricky phase, while supporting and helping him/her make a mindful, relaxed choice.
The speech was concluded by the exploration of the traits currently most in demand among companies and businesses. In a nutshell, the ability to take a cross-disciplinary approach to multi-cultural environments where flexibility, listening and remote management are the unquestioned rulers.
The ability to lead a company’s digital transformation is another tremendously valued requirement. It does not mean being digital and technological but mastering the soft skills which allow to accept and drive change and innovation.
Last, but not least, the ability to interact appropriately with the millennials who need a more flexible, open-minded approach, besides on-going recognition and responsiveness.
The event was topped off by a networking cocktail on the Triennale’ terrace overlooking Milan’s beautiful skyline.
