1.

The Big Picture Approach

Ignore the job description and just ask, “What does the person taking this job need to do to be
considered successful?” Start off by getting the top two to three objectives, and then determine
the two or three most important things needed to achieve these objectives. Also ask what the
person needs to do in the first 30 days, first 90 days, and first six months.

As part of the major objectives, consider projects, problems, and improvements needed. Include
some technical, team, and organization objectives to obtain a true understanding of all job needs.
Here’s an example: “By Q2, complete the assessment of all marketing needs and competitive
products to support the fall launch of the XYZ product line.” The Big Picture Approach works
best when the job has specific projects, tasks, or assignments that need to be completed.

2. Benchmarking the Best

For jobs that are more process-focused (e.g., call center, retail, non-exempt), performance
objectives can be determined by observing what the best employees do differently than average
employees. At the YMCA, we discovered that the best camp counsellors proactively engage with
their kids in daily activities. At a major fast-food restaurant, the best counter staff went out of
their way to clean up the store during their shift. At a large call-center, the best reps were able to
complete the processing of orders with all team members in a very positive manner, even at the
end of a long day.

3. Convert “Having” to “Doing”

Just convert each “must have” skill or factor on the traditional job description into an activity or
outcome. For example, if the job description indicates the salesperson must have five years of
industry sales experience, ask the hiring manager what the person needs to do with that five
years of industry sales experience. A typical response might be, “Conduct a thorough needs
analysis and present the product as a solution.”