I’m thinking of a new way to interview my job candidates but I’m a little concerned about the legal liability. I want to give them a driving test….  In Chicago rush hour traffic…not the crawling pace but the “it’s starting to open up” pace.

I have a theory that a person’s driving and business style are directly correlated.  So, I want to explore this potential correlation.

The Granny driver. You know the ones.  They are methodical about the rules of the road.  They drive the speed limit; they stop and look both ways before proceeding through a stop sign.  They are meticulous about safety.  They drive s-l-o-w-l-y and don’t pull out in the middle of the intersection for a left hand turn.  Instead of waiting for a yellow light to give them an opening, they wait for a GREEN!!  This is the team resource that is a stickler for detail.  They know the process and will follow it to a tee.  They will work to ensure that things are done and done right.  They typically need a process to follow and can’t make it up themselves.

The Reckless driver.  You know who you are.  These are the drivers that weave in and out of lanes quickly to get ahead only to get stopped behind a slower car.  I love watching those types of drivers.  They are fun to watch.  All this effort to get ahead.  They speed up and get stopped behind traffic; they cut to a different lane.  The whole time, they aren’t making any progress, but that doesn’t stop them. They can keep that up the entire ride.  This is the “just do it” team member.  The one that doesn’t like rules.  This team member doesn’t like project management process or methodology.  They want to just try something, back out if it doesn’t work and then more forward on another path etc. etc.  In an entrepreneurial company, this individual will take the risks necessary to make things happen.  They are willing to try new ways of doing business or take the risks necessary to try another service offering.  Their logic is that the worst that can happen is that they throw the results away and try something different.  These individuals may struggle in a more established environment where taking risks in the business is scrutinized closely before moving forward.

The Horn Blowers.  Traffic infuriates them. They honk their way to their destination blaming everyone else for the slow ride.  In business, this may be the “Negative Nellys.”  This is the team member that is always complaining about change.  They are never happy with change so they complain about it frequently.  While it can often be difficult to stay motivated when working with a horn blower, there is often some truth buried in their complaints.  Horn blowers need to feel like part of the results.

The Calculated drivers.  Those that will keep an even pace and look at the whole picture.  Instead of weaving to move ahead, they bide their time and wait for an opening in the other lane when they can break out of the bottleneck.  They are strategic. They have a longitudinal view

These candidates bring a big picture perspective to the table.  They are willing to take “calculated risks”.   This team member is a planner that is focused on the endgame.

Hmmmm….Do you think that I need my driver’s ed certification to try this out?

Laura