Recently I was talking with an entrepreneur about a key team member of his. This individual wasn’t on the executive team but he was referred to as “the best person in the company to gauge the pulse and morale of the company” and he would tell him when things were off. I thought about it for a second and said yes, I know exactly what he means. Having a pulse of the people person is critical, especially if it doesn’t come to you naturally (I don’t have that skill, personally).
Here are a few reasons why it’s important to have a pulse of the people person on your team:
- No matter how hard you try, certain issues and challenges aren’t going to be explicitly stated and must be inferred
- Some people are inherently good at “feeling” how others are doing and can sense issues without trying
- As a startup grows, it becomes more difficult to keep a pulse on the team, making a pulse of the people person even more important
It’s hard to interview for a pulse of the people person but it’s easy to recognize when you have one on your team, and they’re a tremendous asset.
What else? What are your thoughts on pulse of the people persons?
Actually you can screen and interview for these people and they are critical to the team dynamic. As you mentioned they can be invaluable to not only give you the feeling of the organization, but also help you socialize and gain acceptance for ideas.
The hiring practice I’ve followed for the past few years includes a personality profile of sorts. These people are known as “networkers” in that assessment.