It is just CRAZY to me!
So much LOST energy on nothingness and working against our own interest.
This week I saw it twice, once on potential new hires for my company, and once talking to a friend who is interviewing…
Scenario 1:
We are talking to someone who used to work for our company and left, about coming back into a new role. He is an amazing person with great capability and background.
BUT, he may not be the right fit for this new role.
OR
AND, he may not be the right fit for this new role.
WHO CARES RIGHT NOW?
The hiring manager knows that this is a great candidate and that there may or may not be a fit. But, the fact that there may NOT be a great fit, makes them HESITATE.
How does hesitation show up?
There is some hesitation in his voice when talking to or about this candidate.
He doesn’t respond to emails or calls as quickly, because he’s “not sure its going to be a great fit”.
He isn’t very excited when talking to the candidate because he is hedging his bet.
And, I can SEE it and FEEL it… THE CANDIDATE FEELS IT!
So, regardless of whether the candidate ends up being a great fit or not, he may not WANT to take the job because he is sensing apprehension at every step of the way.
HOW CRAZY IS THAT?
People are sometimes taken back by my enthusiasm. They get scared because they feel that my excitement about the EXPLORATION means I wont be able to stop myself at decision time.
They think that because I get excited that there is an opportunity, that my emotional momentum won’t slow down to objectively assess the decision.
So, in turn, they are objective and unexcited the entire time. And, it shows.
I can’t stand that for SO MANY REASONS!
First, it’s a much crappier way to live. You end up living excited and energized SO LESS OFTEN! And, most importantly, you MISS opportunities left and right.
What happens if you follow my approach?
The absolute truth is that until YOU MAKE AN OFFER, there is NO offer.
So, I am excited about what exactly?
I am excited that we are talking to someone very intelligent and capable who voluntarily left our company, who is so eager to talk to us about coming back.
I am excited that we have the POSSIBILITY of a fit, and I want to explore it thoroughly.
I am excited that we may find another opportunity within the company, or better understand this persons interests and ambition, and be able to find some other way to have him help us.
I am excited that we may find some opportunity that we may not even know about right now, in how this person can help us.
Maybe the opportunity is us working with his current company, and do some kind of partnership to leverage their resources on a subcontract basis.
I have NO IDEA what could come of this but – WE HAVE A STATED NEED (AND MANY OTHER NEEDS ALSO), they have an INTEREST TO HELP US AND JOIN US, and NOTHING has been offered.
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT????? WHY ARE WE HESITATING and putting all of that potential opportunity at risk?
Because there may not be a fit to this very singular opportunity?
SO WHAT?
At a minimum, we get to reconnect with a great person, see how life is treating them, learn something about them and their company, and keep the relationship alive for future opportunities.
NOT A BAD WORST CASE…
Why do we hesitate????
We hesitate because we have a singular equation in our mind…
Does A = B?
And, if there is not a fit between candidate and specific current stated job, IF I GO IN TO INTERESTED am I going to create too many expectations?
Ah… now we are getting somewhere…
“If I show too much excitement will my boss think this is a definite go? And, then be too disappointed if it doesn’t fit and be mad at me?”
“If I show too much excitement will my candidate think this is a definit go? And, then be too disappointed if it doesn’t fit and be mad at me?”
“If I show too much excitement will I get blinded and not see the things that may not work about this and possibly make the wrong choice?”
“If I get too excited does it make me look too eager?”
“If I get too excited does it make me look less professional?”
“IF, IF, IF, IF, IF….”
STOP IT…
GET EXCITED!
Get excited about what may happen and be completely comfortable that worst case, nothing will happen, and THAT IS OK!
I can’t stand that…
Have you ever not called someone because you thought they might not be home? GET EXCITED CALL THEM AND WORST CASE LEAVE A MESSAGE – but they will have known you thought about them.
Have you ever not invited someone to dinner because you didn’t know if they could make it? GET EXCITED AND INVITE THEM… even if they cant come, they knew you were thinking about them, and WHO knows… maybe the CAN COME!
Have you ever not asked someone out because you thought they might turn you down?
GET EXCITED!
Scenario 2
A friend is interviewing for a few jobs, and she thinks a couple of the jobs are a better fit than the others. So she is fundamentally unexcited about interviewing for a couple, but is doing it anyway.
My two cents…
IF YOU CAN’T GET EXCITED… DON’T DO IT!
If you go into an interview UNEXCITED about the opportunity, you might as well not go.
As the employer, you get a little more leverage, because you have the job to offer.
As an interviewee, EXCITEMENT is fundamental. If someone doesn’t seem convinced that they want the role, that is deadly.
WHO KNOWS? Maybe the job isn’t a great fit, but maybe that firm, or someone you are interviewing KNOWS SOMEONE ELSE… and can give you additional leads. MAYBE that company has other opportunities that could be more interesting, and if you show up EXCITED and INQUISITIVE you will uncover them!
Maybe you can explain to them what you are looking for – and why their company EXCITES YOU and a new opportunity can be created that is a better fit?
WHO KNOWS… but UNEXCITED – NOBODY WILL EVER KNOW!
Find the elements the aspects of whatever it is that you are doing that you can get EXCITED about and DON’T BE AFRAID OF EMOTIONAL MOMENTUM… BE EXCITED ABOUT WHERE EMOTIONAL MOMENTUM CAN TAKE YOU!!!
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW…
And, every time you go into something curious and excited you get to learn more about that space.
When you go into something hesitating… people feel it… YOU feel it…
There is a quote in the book “The One Thing” that says… “Be careful how you see the world, because it is that way!”
STOP POSTPONING EXCITEMENT based on WHAT IF scenarios that may never happen.
The ABSOLUTE TRUTH is that you don’t have to be excited that there is a GREAT FIT…
You can be excited as heck that there is the POSSIBILITY OF A GREAT FIT that you don’t even understand…
Find the aspects of the truth (what you bring, what your company brings, what the candidate brings, what could be created) that allows you see possible wins…
And, if you go in looking and believing that there COULD be a big win…. Excited about it… NOT ONLY is the process more enjoyable… BUT SUCCESS IS MORE LIKELY!!!
STOP hesitating!
STOP waiting to get excited!
You don’t have to get excited for the SOLUTION being REACHED… get excited about FINDING A SOLUTION…
And, then when you do find a SOLUTION… one that you never thought was even possible…. Or the one you hoped would happen….
GET EXCITED AGAIN!!!
Life is better and more fun if you are excited about it.
STOP holding yourself back because things MAY NOT WORK OUT…..
And, start unleashing yourself on the POSSIBILITY that they may!
The truth is – until you have a decision to make – there is NO decision to make.
Until you make an offer, you haven’t made an offer – so DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.
Until you receive an offer, you haven’t gotten one – so GET EXCITED ABOUT GETTING A GOOD ONE!
This applies not just to recruiting or interviewing but to virtually ALL aspects of everything you do.
How much of what you do everyday excites you?
How much of your day do you spend “hesitating to be excited” because you don’t know yet if things are going to work out?
STOP hesitating….
TRY IT!
TRUST YOURSELF…
Leverage emotional momentum… don’t be scared of it.
UNLEASH YOUR EXCITEMENT AND LIVE!!!
There are NO rules about when you are and are not allowed to be excited.
YOU CHOOSE… and living excited… will increase your chances at whatever it is you are looking to achieve… and you will enjoy the ride much more.
THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOUR EVERY DAY???
Are you EXCITED or HESITANT ABOUT YOUR DAYS?
Yours in harmony!
Nestor Benavides