Why the Right Person for the Right Job Matters
Two weeks ago I spent a week in Singapore and presented at the HR SUMMIT 2010. It was my first time in that part of the world and I must admit it was an eye opener. I enjoyed every minute from exploring the sights of a foreign land to interacting with HR professionals from around the globe. The major take away from the experience was the importance of having the right person in the right job. This is a concept I have stressed repeatedly in coaching and training but never have I seen it come to fruition as I did in Singapore.
On the flight from Los Angeles to Singapore I had the pleasure of flying on Singapore Airlines. From the moment my colleague and I stepped on the plane the flight attendants anticipated our every need. We were greeted by our names and escorted to our seats as if we were celebrities, but as I looked around the plane the other passengers were being treated with the same care. During the long flight I couldn’t help but stare at the pleasant faces that were looking back at me. My cynicism would not let me believe that the flight attendants were genuine. I tried to detect a frozen smile or a less than comforting tone as they served passengers for the almost 20 hour flight, but their demeanor never wavered. I couldn’t help but wonder how Singapore Airlines managed to choose this harmonious crew of flight attendants for their airline? What were the criteria? Or did we get lucky? I got my answer on the return flight.
The flight from Singapore to Amsterdam was much less luxurious because we flew in coach instead of business class. The red eye flight was jammed pack with passengers gibbering in a multitude of languages, babies crying, generation y flopping from seat to seat and the bell for service ringing every few minutes. Still the flight attendants remained calm, attentive and busy serving the passengers. As I watched what seemed like a 12- hour circus the only constant was the reserve of the flight attendants. I had that “aha moment” Oprah often talks about, the moment when you “get it”. You realize what you are seeing. This is what it means to have the right person in the right job. Just like the crew on our flight to Singapore, though the conditions were different, the return crew’s behavior was essentially the same. The business class crew could afford to appear to be more personable because they had fewer passengers to serve. However, the coach crew spent an equitable amount of time with passengers attending to their needs.
I came to the conclusion that Singapore Airlines practices what consultants tell HR departments to do. Search for the right people to fill your positions. Do not fall prey to filling the position with what looks good on paper. Employer-employee compatibility is important to the bottom line. The right fit can increase your return on investment. Singapore Airlines has an excellent image in the marketplace. After my experience I am convinced that the HR department at Singapore Airlines must look for a certain type person to fit the image they have for their company. The right personnel fit is tied to the success of the airline. The crew projects an image and serves as a constant marketing agent with their consistent standard of service to all passengers. Singapore Airlines personnel strategy proves that the right person in the right job matters.
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