Hire your manager

A manager is leaving? Take this opportunity to let the team select the new one. 

We propose a workshop to define the recruitment process.

Before the start of the sequence:

1. As a facilitator, discuss with the N+2 about his/her objective using this participative process. Why he/she is interested by engaging the team in this process? How results of candidate’s interviews will be used (Informative/consultative/Responsible)? 
   Agree with the N+2 about the recruitment process that will be applied: As an example, it could be:
   • Candidates will be interviewed by managers first then by volunteers
   • Volunteers will participate to a review with managers where they will discuss about these interviews, best candidates, etc…
   Tell him/her that he/she will have to explain it to the team before the workshop
2. During a team weekly meeting, N+2 & N+1 should take 30 minutes to speak with the team in order to:
   – Propose this participative recruitment to the team
   – Explain them the rationale of this initiative (why)
   – Be clear on the their “weight” in the process (informative/consultative/…)
   – Tell them that their current N+1 will be part of the workshop as a consultant
   – Discuss about their questions if any
   – Ensure that the team agrees to go on.
   

Sequence steps

The aim of this workshop is that at the end of the session, 3 volunteers are nominated in order to make candidate’s interviews. For them, to be able to act as « Voice of the team », all the team members should first share their expectations regarding their future manager. 

Attendance: The team & N+1 (as consultant) 

First step

1. Tell to the team what are the role & duties of volunteers:
   • They are the voice of their team. That means that 100% of the flip-boards ideas are theirs from now on.
   • They must respect a total confidentiality on the candidates they will interviewed and on the results of these interviews
   • They have to make interviews outside their usual work place to respect confidentiality of candidates
   • 2 volunteers by interview (3 people nominated to roll-out and in case of partiality if a candidate is known by one of them) 
2. Remind to the team the process of the recruitment agreed with the N+2
   As an example, it could be:
    • Candidates will be interviewed by managers first then by volunteers
   • Volunteers will participate to a review with managers where they will discuss about these interviews, best candidates, etc… 
3. Tell to the team that volunteers will have to create a set of questions according to the expectations collected during the workshop, to take notes during interviews and to debrief after each one with the 3rd volunteer. 
4. Ask to the team who is volunteer to go on 
5. If there is more than 3 volunteers: 
1. Write the names on a board 
2. Give to the team 3 coloured sticky label 
3. Ask to the team to vote for their 3 preferred volunteers (1 sticky per name max) 
4. At the end, count and announce the 3 nomination (in case of equality between 2, make a last round between these 2) 
6. At the end of the workshop, facilitator can re-write digitally all ideas on a template (see next page), send it to the 3 volunteers nominated & also remind them their duties (confidentiality,…). 
   

At the end of the interviews, perform selection activity (using for example decision by consent. Avoid voting, prefer a technique seeking for objections).