No One Can Underperform Her... Ouch!

As an entrepreneur, I wear many hats.

In addition to running a successful Training and Consultancy business, I'm also a co-founder of two thriving retail businesses.  (I’ll link them in the comments below.)

One thing I’ve learned over the years is the power of excellent performance at work. It’s not just about skills; it’s about attitude, focus, and commitment to excellence.

Whenever I hire for my retail businesses, I take a unique approach: I conduct working interviews.

This goes beyond the traditional sit-down interview where we ask questions and the candidate answers. A working interview is an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate how they perform in real-time, how they interact with the team, and whether they show the necessary energy and focus for the role.

It gives us a glimpse into their true character, and it helps us make a solid decision on whether they’re a good fit or not.

It’s true that people can often put on a front during a traditional interview, but with time, their true nature shows.

Recently, as we were expanding, we invited a group of shortlisted candidates for our working interviews. They all did their part, but the feedback from my team was eye-opening.

“No one can out-perform her…”

One candidate stood out in a positive way. She was on it, focused, determined, and fully engaged. My team was convinced she would thrive in the position.

But there was another candidate who was the complete opposite. She asked for the Wi-Fi password at 10 AM and spent the rest of the day glued to her phone, completely disengaged from her task. She didn’t make any effort to listen, learn, or perform her test. For her they said, no one can underperform her.”

This got me thinking: Training is critical, but it cannot fix the problem of hiring the wrong person.

No amount of training can save someone who lacks the right skills, doesn’t fit into the company culture, or doesn’t have the right attitude.

The key is to hire the right people from the start, those who are already self-motivated, driven, and aligned with your values.

So, I ask you:

Who in your organization cannot be outperformed?

Who can’t be underperformed?

It’s something to reflect on and consider the next time you hire or evaluate your team.

Jackie Wahome, Customer Experience Trainer

Let’s elevate performance and hire with purpose!