From global pandemics to war, famine, credit downgrades and tsunami’s, our world is governed by uncertainty.  In uncertain times, you need a team built for adaptability, curiosity, and grit—traits that don’t just weather the storm but turn it into an opportunity.

Performance outside the box

Previously, talent acquisition focused on stability—how well a candidate performed their role on a day-to-day basis in a predictable box. During times of uncertainty, candidates need to demonstrate the skill and mindset to think on their feet, learn fast, embrace chaos, perform and lead a team. Talent acquisition needs to identify whether a candidate has done that in the past, how they cope with uncertainty and what their process is to lead a team through uncertain times.

A knack for embracing disruption

Technology is causing disruption to every industry. We can expect more rampant change in the next 5 years than we have experienced in the past 20 years. Practically overnight, markets can dramatically shift, policy can change, and these have a significant impact on strategic plans and how leaders lead. When hiring talent, look for candidates who understand how to execute beyond a playbook. Those that can deal with adaptability, chaos and lead a team through it. These are the backbone of a team that doesn’t just survive but thrives during uncertainty.

Adaptability, constantly

During times of uncertainty, things change fast, frequently. This requires candidates and team members that can adapt constantly and are not too attached to plans and strategies. They have the vision and mission in mind but can manoeuvre with flexibility. They do not attach blame to anyone or anything. Their aim is to move and adapt with chaos.

• Interview Question:“Recount an experience where a project or a client pitch took a disastrous turn. What did you do. How did you respond. What was the outcome?”
  Look for: Resourcefulness, lateral thinking, curiosity, decisiveness. 
• Candidate assessment: Are they comfortable with uncertainty? Do they display quick thinking and a focus on solutions—not blame. 

Emotional intelligence

During times of uncertainty, emotions run high. Identify candidates who can keep their cool, manage their emotions and function with a level head during times of uncertainty. The ability to move forward with calm can create composure in a team and enable groups to function effectively.

Curiosity

There are lots of opportunities during times of uncertainty. These are revealed to the curios. Curious people don’t just accept the chaos. They look at it from different angles, ask questions, try to figure things out and that’s when opportunities reveal themselves. People who are naturally curios learn, adapt, explore and turn chaos into play.

• Interview Question: “Tell us about a time when you were completely out of your comfort zone at work or in a project, where you were totally unfamiliar—how did you approach it, and what did you discover?”
• Candidate assessment: Enthusiasm during uncertainty, proactive research, and creative problem-solving. 

Uncertainty governs our current times.

Candidates in teams and leadership positions need to have the personal and professional skills to not just cope but to thrive during uncertainty. Teams built for adaptability, curiosity, and grit— will not only succeed, but will spot new opportunities. Enabling business growth and new markets to be tapped. Hiring talent with these traits are a significant advantage for high performance teams. 

At Talent Trace, we are a 100% Black female owned business, we built our business during times of rampant uncertainty. Talent Trace is highly skilled at assessing and identifying these candidate talents. We understand the type of thinking, skills and mindset that a candidate needs to display to thrive during uncertainty. Let our Talent Trace team help you hire talent that can thrive during uncertain times.