446: Hiring with Purpose: A Predictive Model for Building Flourishing Teams

If you’ve ever second-guessed a hiring decision—or worried about choosing the wrong person—this episode will give you a practical path forward. Chad Carter, the principal chair for C12 forums in East Tennessee and author of The Predictive Hiring Model, shares six key disciplines that can help you reduce turnover, avoid costly mistakes, and consistently hire the right people for your team.

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In this episode:

• Chad Carter and Al Lopus reflect on 15+ years of working together and introduce Chad’s new book The Predictive Hiring Model: Six Disciplines to Get It Right Every Time. (05:02)

• Story Highlight – Logistics Worldwide:

  • The company had previously hired 200 temp workers over 2 years with poor results. (06:05)

  • After attending Chad’s workshop, they implemented the predictive hiring model using behavior-based interview questions. (06:27)

  • Over the next 2 years, they only needed to hire 20 people—a reduction of 180 hires. (07:24)

  • This shift led to significant cost savings and improved employee engagement and retention. (07:59)

• The Predictive Hiring Model – Overview:

  • A systematic, repeatable hiring process that improves decision-making and quality of hires. (09:26)

  • It does not guarantee perfect hiring but increases the likelihood of success. (09:38)

• Six Disciplines of the Model:

  1. Alignment – Define success for the role clearly. (10:56)

  2. Recruitment – Use strategic, data-driven sourcing. (11:12)

  3. Assessment – Go beyond gut instincts; evaluate hard and soft skills. (11:36)

  4. Screening – Use predictive analytics to filter and prioritize candidates. (12:10)

  5. Offering – Effectively engage and attract top candidates. (13:08)

  6. Measured Outcomes – Track key metrics to continuously improve hiring. (13:36)

• Common Hiring Pitfalls:

  • Lack of a consistent hiring process. (15:25)

  • Unstructured interviews make it hard to compare candidates fairly. (15:59)

  • Overlooking falsified resumes due to poor assessment protocols. (16:08)

  • Failing to define roles clearly before recruiting. (16:28)

  • Involving the wrong interviewers—roles don’t always equal good judgment. (16:44)

  • Rushing to fill a position instead of waiting for the right fit. (17:31)

• Insight from Experience:

  • Many seasoned leaders realize (too late) that they need a consistent, disciplined process. (17:50)

  • Using a structured approach to hiring is as essential as using consistent systems in accounting or IT. (20:31)

• Ideal-Candidate Profile:

  • Goes beyond a job description by identifying both hard and soft skills. (24:02)

  • Focuses on the type of person needed — character, demeanor, and cultural fit. (24:24)

• Building a Talent Pipeline (Even When Not Actively Hiring):

  • Use a mix of farmer’s diligence (long-term nurturing) and hunter’s strategies (proactive search). (24:48)

  • Identify key roles that are essential to the organization’s success. (25:08)

  • Engage potential candidates through:

    • Networking events and conferences. (25:27)

    • Social media and valuable content sharing. (25:32)

    • Ongoing relationship-building via emails, updates, and invitations to events. (25:39)

  • Maintain a “rainy-day file” with resumes and contacts of promising candidates. (26:12)

  • Three key strategies:

    1. Continual Networking: Meet high-potential individuals, have informational meetings, build a bench of candidates. (26:38)

    2. Internal Development: Use 9-box or 4-box tools to identify high-potential staff, offer stretch assignments, mentorship, and leadership development. (27:08)

    3. Stay Engaged with Former Candidates: Keep in touch with “silver medalists” — strong candidates not hired previously — through periodic communication. (27:49)

• Faster Hiring Through Relationship-Building:

  • Ongoing engagement builds trust, accelerating the hiring process when a role opens. (29:00)

• Assessing Soft Skills in Hiring:

  • Many terminations are due to poor soft skills, not lack of technical skills. (30:13)

  • Hiring managers need training and tools to assess soft skills effectively:

    1. Behavioral Interviewing: Ask for real examples of past behavior. (30:54)

    2. Active Listening: Focus on tone, energy, and non-verbal cues; interviewers should talk less and listen more (80/20 rule). (31:29)

    3. Core Values Alignment: Candidates should already embody the organization’s values. (32:24)

    4. Assessment Tools:

       • DiSC: Understand communication and work styles. (33:02)

       • Culture Index: Evaluate fit for specific roles and team dynamics. (33:13)

       • Use tools knowledgeably — improper use can be ineffective or harmful. (33:30)

    5. Scorecards:

       • Define soft skill competencies and use a rating scale. (33:59)

       • Keeps evaluations objective and aligned with key criteria. (34:18)

• Debriefs after interviews are essential; they allow hiring managers to compare notes and ratings, and skilled debriefs can range from 2 minutes to an hour depending on the hire’s complexity. (34:36)

• Hiring teams should include people with a high HBA (Hire By Attitude) and be trained in advance—especially in church or nonprofit settings where committee members may lack hiring experience. (35:25)
• AI in hiring is a helpful tool when used correctly:

  • Automate repetitive, low-touch tasks. (37:14)

  • Use AI for decision support, not as the sole decision-maker. (37:25)

  • Prioritize creating a memorable, human-centered candidate experience. (37:59)

  • Use AI for data processing, but maintain human-to-human interaction for final decisions. (38:10)

• Hiring goal isn’t just filling a position—it’s building a flourishing team, which requires wisdom, relationships, and discernment. (38:23)

• For overwhelmed leaders, Chad advises:
  
  

  • Start with one key role as a pilot. (39:57)

  • Define what success looks like for that role (a “success description” rather than just a job description). (40:20)

  • Involve the right people on the hiring team. (40:50)

  • Upgrade interviews with structured questions and evidence-based responses. (41:04)

  • Read and implement The Predictive Hiring Model; workshops are also available for deeper learning. (41:35)

• Building emotional connection is important—casual settings like dinner with a candidate and their spouse can reveal character and relational behavior. (42:23)
• Hiring mistakes are costly—a structured model reduces risk and promotes excellence. (44:28)
• Offer letters should be delivered via phone first, using the letter as a guide. This approach continues relationship-building and demonstrates professionalism. (45:02)
• Onboarding starts during the interview, not after the hire—candidates observe communication speed and attention to detail throughout the process. (45:47)
• Chad encourages use of the book and its tools, available at predictivehiringmodel.com, where additional resources can be accessed by signing up for emails. (46:23)

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