One level of thinking

Oct 7, 2024

One level of thinking for all seems to be the norm nowadays. But if you own a company, and your HR management team puts everyone through the same training, with the same HR requirements, would that really work?

Let’s use karate as an example. Imagine you’re recruiting three individuals: one has never trained in karate, one holds a black belt, and one is a master. If all three are placed in the same class with the same training, what are the chances of finding the best karate candidate?

The beginner would likely get frustrated, struggling to keep up. The black belt would find the training boring and far below their level, learning little. And the master might leave the training altogether, feeling insulted. This example illustrates what happens when one level of training or understanding is applied to everyone, regardless of their skills or background.

Whether it’s recruiting employees, making friends, or finding a romantic partner, using a “one-size-fits-all” approach is unlikely to work well. A company wants the best employees, just as individuals seek meaningful friendships or compatible partners. But if the approach is rigid, the chances of success diminish.

The best method is to adjust based on who you’re dealing with, understanding differences rather than relying on standard questions and answers. This requires recognizing life experiences and unique qualities.

Take the character Elliot from Mr. Robot, for example. Elliot was highly intelligent, yet he struggled to fit into society due to his social awkwardness. If Elliot were applying for a tech support role in the real world, would HR be able to see past his lack of social skills and hire him for his technical talents? I believe the chances are slim.

This is why the stories of self-made, successful individuals often sound similar. They start by wanting to work for a company but are never given the chance or aren’t able to thrive in a typical corporate environment. They push forward on their own, eventually breaking through and becoming successful. When interviewed, they are often asked, “How did you come up with this great idea or build this company?” The answer usually lies in the fact that a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach was applied to everyone, and these out-of-the-box thinkers became frustrated. But when they finally broke through, they made it big.

If society or companies better understood and appreciated these individuals’ talents and intelligence, they could have benefited from them. But due to a lack of understanding, these people were often rejected and left on their own.

This is where you don’t want your company, friendship, or relationship to be. If these individuals get fed up and leave, they’ll do whatever it takes to reach their goals. And once they’re gone, finding similar talent or individuals with the same qualities will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.

If you’re interested in exploring this subject further, consider joining MJ’s upcoming events, where these topics will be discussed in detail.

We welcome your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. For one-on-one coaching, feel free to contact Milad Emjay.

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Milad Emjay

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