In her groundbreaking 2013 Ted Talk, viewed by more than 25 million people, award-winning author, psychologist, and professor Angela Lee Duckworth explores the question, “who is successful and why.”
The answer boils down less to talent, she says, and more to an X factor known as “grit.” But what exactly is grit?
“Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals,” said Duckworth in the Ted Talk. “Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality.”
The Want-To Factor (™)
Grit also happens to be one of the pinnacles of PFD Group’s “Want-To Factor,” a trademarked designation that identifies the ultimate doers of any group. People with high Want-To Factors are the most likely to get things done. Not only do they see a vision for the future, but they also mentally visualize completing the necessary tasks to make that vision a reality.
Importantly, none of the elements that contribute to higher Want-To Factors are directly related to talent, a fact that is backed up by Duckworth’s research.
“Our data show very clearly that there are many talented individuals who simply do not follow through on their commitments. In fact, in our data, grit is usually unrelated or even inversely related to measures of talent.”
How to Find High Want-To Candidates
Following a rigorous hiring process can significantly increase your ability to find, recognize and hire talent with high Want-To Factors. One such method is the Topgrading Method, a 12-step process that improves “the productivity, profitability, and progress of an organization by recruiting, hiring, and developing teams of top performers.”
We also recommend taking the principles outlined by Jim Collins on strategy flywheels and apply them to your recruiting process. We’ve built such a tool, which we’ve called the Talent Flywheel, which can help you build key steps on recruiting, selecting, developing and retaining the right leaders in the right roles, so it becomes a repeatable process for your organization.
Hire For Core Values
While ambition can lead to higher Want-To Factors, it is also critical to avoid confusing ambition with blind ambition–or employees seeking only personal wins. Instead, it is important to bring in A-Players who have a built-in community mindset.
This community mindset is another reason why it is critical to have and hire against a strong set of core values. As people increasingly select work environments that align with their personal beliefs, companies with strong Core Values stand to attract the best of the best among these belief-driven employees.
On a side note, hiring team members that fit our core values is a central topic in my upcoming book, The Mentorship Engine, which I co-wrote with Ramsey Jay Jr. Stay tuned for information on that book coming soon!
Hiring from Non-Traditional Sources
To find amazing employees, you may also consider detouring away from traditional hiring sources, although you likely won’t have to veer much farther beyond your own backyard.
Exploring community partnerships can provide new pathways to finding A Players with high Want-To Factors. Are there local universities, nonprofit organizations or board of directors that could connect you with potential employees?
Part of your business strategy is to invest in your community. Building relationships with other community leaders can help you meet those goals, while also leading you to great new sources of talent.
Need help identifying candidates with high Want-To scores? The PFD Group can help. That’s what we do every day, as we consult with 100+ satisfied global business leaders. For more information, contact us for an introductory call.
At PFD Group, we have built a Want-To-Score (™ pending), which is a designation that identifies the ultimate doers of any group. These are the people who are most likely to get things done. They have the grit and tenacity to not only see the vision for the future, but also have the vision of how to see the necessary tasks are completed to make this vision a reality
If you’d like to learn more about how to identify your Want-To players or how to build the ideal annual planning meeting, contact us for more information.