What will a Connector bring to your team?

As part of our series of exploring bad hires and how to get it right, we continue round the Contribution Compass with a Connector profile. Here is what you will get if you recruit a Connector onto your team.

A Connector is a person who brings people, ideas and resources together, and like a lake into which all rivers flow, they have a special gift that can unite the right people at the right time and place. This ability to connect is driven from a combined understanding of what people really need and the resources and opportunities available that may best serve those needs. They excel in communication and being able to talk through ideas, challenges, and solutions to create a collective way forward.

Buzz words for a job description:

Interactive, engaged, grounded, connection, networking, customer service, relationship management, sharing, negotiation.

What will “land” at interview?

• Value alignment
• Showing how important customer service and a promise is
• A desire to build long term relationships
• Allow them to show off their natural diplomacy
• Showing trust that they will build the right relationships

What will switch them off at interview?

• Being shut down talking about developing relationships
• Conflicting values
• No importance put on the power of a customer promise
• Taking a hard line with customers or team members that goes against their. “building bridges” mentality

Rewarding a Connector

Tie rewards in to understanding what people are looking for and building relationships. What may be more tangible is linking rewards to financial return generated from a negotiated deal, contract or connection; this could be done on volume, connection activity or strategically aligned opportunities closed.

If you have a role coming up in the next few months and you want to talk it through, please get in touch.