If you want results, then I suggest that you hire forattitude.

John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach once said, “I'drather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot ofexperience and a little talent.”

This is an interesting paradigm that many in our industryconsider to be counterintuitive. But why is that?

There seems to be a prevailing thought that experience andclaims savvy go hand in hand. While this can be the case, it oftenis not. From a technical perspective, it seems intuitive that thelonger people perform their tasks, the better they will get. Afterall, would you rather have an airplane mechanic with 30 years ofexperience or 30 days of experience?

Talent and experience are two different measurements which canbe codependent but often are not. In the aforementioned example,the assumption may be that the 30-year airplane mechanic istechnically sound. But what if he has 30 years of bad habits? Wouldit not be preferable to have the lesser experienced, albeittalented mechanic work on the plane and when in doubt, seek theinput of a proven, talented coworker?

The same holds true in claims organizations where many leadersfocus on tenure when evaluating new talent. This seems to beespecially true given the dreary economic conditions wherelong-term claims personnel can acquired at discounted salaries.

As discussed in Re-Adjusted: 20 Essential RulesTo Take Your Claims Organization From Ordinary ToExtraordinary, theemployment landscape is comprised of A, B, and C players. “A”players typically comprise about 20 percent of the workforce. Theyare those who do not need to be asked twice and take a proactiveapproach to solve problems, resolve tasks, and provide solutions.“C” players fall on the opposite side of the spectrum, and oftenaccount for another 20 percent of the workforce. These are thechronic whiners and complainers that account for about 80 percentof organizational problems. In the middle are the “B” players,accounting for the remaining 60 percent. By nature, they arefollowers and their migration is dependent upon the strength ofmanagement.

In a well-run organization, this very important contingent ofemployees will migrate towards the A players. In poorly runorganizations, they will migrate towards the C players, creating anatmosphere where success becomes impossible.

Herein lies the challenge; how do you differentiate between A,B, and C players in the interview process? If I had the magicalelixir, then I would be extremely wealthy, and with feweradministrative headaches. While I do not have the ultimatesolution, I will share what has worked in the past.

First, there is not a linear relationship between talent andability. To the contrary, tenure can potentially lead tocomplacency and bad habits that simply can't be fixed. Second,technical skills can be taught, whereas attitude cannot.

Third, ask the right questions, including both behavior-basedones, such as “Would you give me an example of when you…” as wellas situational-based questions, such as “What would you do if…”Fourth, evaluate the ability of candidates to effectivelycommunicate, including their ability to coherently write ahypothetical letter to a claimant or an attorney.

Lastly, use a proven method for pre-employment testing. Whilenot perfect, it does enable businesses to proactively identifycharacteristics and traits of those most likely to succeed in yourculture.

While there is no perfect method for hiring, these steps willimprove the odds of success. Let's face it: Even in the mostperfect of circumstances, the best will have those “Ryan Leaf”moments. At the end of the day, attitude will provide thedifference in organizations seeking to move from ordinary toextraordinary.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference-Winston Churchill

Christopher Tidball is an executive claims consultant and theauthor of the 20 Essential Rules series, including Kicked to the Curb and Re-Adjusted. He may be reachedat [email protected].