In my experience it is rare to find a new leader who connects, demonstrates warmth and then leads through their competence. Sometimes it seems that there is too much worrying about "doing the right thing" or "having your act together." I find this new HBR article refreshing -
Connect, Then Lead
by Amy J.C. Cuddy, Matthew Kohut, and John Neffinger
Our candidates give us fascinating feedback about the interviews they have with our clients. Recruiters will often lean towards the "warmth" side of things first but those that are assessing for identified competencies balance this with strength and control of the process. There is a fine line that allows for both. Let's think about incorporating the "connect and then lead" methodologies from these authors into our selection process. Imagine sitting down with the hiring manager to discuss the balance of these two elements in order to elicit the most authentic conversation possible. Candidates walk away with a true sense of the leader and company and leaders walk away with a great sense of confidence that the process was real and human. Ok, I admit that the critical aspect here is to assess skill, interest, competency and fit - but being human allows the best of who we are to emerge.