First Impressions and Fred Astaire

There rarely is self-reflection after making an initial impression. We make up our minds and then we take any piece of information and contort it to fit with those earliest opinions. I’ve hired people over the decades and can recollect impressions that were dead wrong. On a few occasions I’ve said something like, “I’m hiring them because we’re desperate and they’re the best of a bad bunch.” But they turned out great. Likewise, I’ve had the opposite. They’re a “can’t miss” candidate and will be outstanding, but they wash out for any number of reasons. 

One must be open-minded and continually decide, based on performance, what needs to happen. Is it to provide support and coaching because they can excel? Or should we cut our losses sooner rather than later? I wish I could say every hire I made was brilliant. The teams screening and interviewing the candidates brought in unique opinions and perspectives, and that helped, but the buck did stop with me. And I was wrong on some instances, but I can take solace in a story about a famous Hollywood movie star. 

Fred Astaire who came to Hollywood as a young man determined to make it in show biz and had several screen tests. The feedback from an early audition has become part of Hollywood lore: “Can’t act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.”