Competency and Culture, Finding the Right Fit

Competence and Culture

Recently at a job site I found something incredibly valuable. As I looked around at our employees, I noticed our team had some people that had worked with us for over 20 years, some 15, 10 and some were in the single digits. This made me so happy, and I took a moment to speak to them to communicate how valuable this dynamic is. I encouraged those who had been with us longest to take some of the younger ones under their wing. To share their wisdom, skill and particularly the heart for the job.  In our industry this kind of relationship might be called an apprentice. It is very much the way in which Jesus operated with His disciples. The transfer that I hope happens most is the heart for our work. Another way of saying that is that I hope that the culture gets communicated clearly and embraced by everyone who works for us. The culture of MRC has been one of the great keys to our success. 

We have been very intentional to create and clearly communicate a culture at MRC. When the guys who have been with us for over 25 years started with us, someone showed them the way to do things and now they get to mentor and model the MRC way. This kind of mentorship quickly reveals if a new employee is a good fit with our company.  It reminds me of 2 bible verses that are vital to communicating a message with longevity: 

"Pass on what you heard from me…to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others."

2 Timothy 2:2 MSG

"Be generous, and you will be prosperous. Help others, and you will be helped. "

Proverbs 11:25 GNT

Finding the Right Fit

Healthy organizations have long term employees that carry the culture who impart and share it with newer employees. This is one of the most successful ways to transfer the heart of our company. When going through the hiring process we will consider how the candidate will fit with the culture as much as we evaluate their competence and skill sets. I have made the mistake of hiring candidates that possesses all the necessary skills, but lack the same values as our company, in my experience they generally don’t last very long. The ideal scenario is a competent, culture fit candidate. This combination with the help of mentoring has given us good longevity and low turnover in an industry that is known for the opposite. 

Case Study

During our hiring process we were looking to fill a role at MRC. We found a candidate that we felt was a good fit and had good experience but what particularly stood out was that they felt like a 100% culture fit with the company. As they started the role it became apparent that there was a gap in their experience with a piece of software that we use. A piece of software their job relied on, and it was a problem. Rather than parting ways, my team decided to get them some training. This small investment filled the gaps and now this employee is a super star and is doing a top-class job. It has been my experience time and time again that you can train someone who shares you culture and values, but it is much more challenging to work with someone who does not share your cultural values.  There is a general rule of threes for life, you can’t survive without food for 3 weeks, water for 3 days or air for 3 minutes.  All of these are vital for life, but there is a hierarchy in their value. Do not underestimate the value of culture to your organization. It will create healthy longevity for your business.  

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