In the face of the risk, the most common industry response is “more training”.

This will help the good staff.

For those who are hiring mistakes, no amount of training will make much difference.

Let’s look at two common profiles of poor performers often seen in the human services industry:

Profile 1:     

• A person who enjoys being in a position of authority
• Lacks sensitivity – doesn’t “read” people well
• Rather rigid and inflexible in their view about how things should be done
• Little ability to examine their own motives or behaviour. When things go wrong, tends to look for others to blame.      

• Little inner desire to help people
• Lack of drive or ambition
• Looks for the easiest way to get the job done
• Superficially agreeable, but actually resents being told what to do
• Motivated primarily by money