Smart Is Not Enough!

Richard Branson, Erin Brockovich, Michael Dell... What do these personalities have in common? All stand out for their brilliant professional trajectories, despite chaotic schooling and spotty academic careers. Mediocre students who rejected the traditional school system and who became unorthodox leaders, these individuals somehow managed to miraculously slip through the net of traditional human resource selection policies. Yet, how many such high-potential individuals actually accomplish this feat?
Recruiting policies have been focused for years on hiring the best managers from the top schools. The author alerts readers against this profile standardization. Companies need diverse teams combining traditional academic profiles and people with less conventional experience. In the growing war for talent, companies can no longer afford to ignore any possible source.
In the wake of Daniel Goleman's work on emotional intelligence, the author emphasizes the importance of leaders with strong drive and strong convictions, able to throw themselves into the fray despite all of the challenges, mobilize people around them, and get around obstacles by straying from the beaten path. Chapter 5 in particular provides the keys to spotting this type of talent during recruiting interviews or by observing employees on the job.