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30 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2019 could be this much different, and that it could be this much fun." But back to that broader strategy. Johnson: Yeah! So if I have an HR department that's basically using postings on Monster and trying to roll the stuff themselves, they're not going to find the people that they should be seeking for this position. At least, that seems to be one cautionary tale coming out of this conversation. McNabb: It's even worse than that because there are no passive ways to reach people who are not actively looking. What they're doing is following a selection process, looking at the people who have made themselves the most available, and then selecting the best of those. We start at the other end of the spectrum. We say, "Forget about who's available. Who are the most valuable people on the planet?" Then, systematically approach each and every one of them with the most powerful message possible. With my best client—I did a statistical analy - sis for them at one point—we found that 92% of the people they hired from me not only weren't looking, but said there was no way they were going to make a change when I first approached them. But then, they got excited about what they could do and be a part of. Surprisingly, money is something like number seven in the top-10 motivators for top performers. Johnson: And yet, every hiring manager usu- ally puts that in the top three, if not in the top slot. McNabb: Exactly. Again, the right candidate is going to be more excited about how meaning- ful their work and role are. Consequently, they arrive excited. Again, I say in a talent-starved marketplace, managers should have a dual strategy. One is to identify the finite talent pool. Who are the 20–50 human beings on planet Earth who would bring the greatest value to our team? Then, what level of talent do those people have, and what is it going to take for us to win them over? Another vital consideration for a talent-starved marketplace is that a post- ing will reach a very small percentage of the people who are actively looking. Those who are actively looking typically only amount to about 20% of the workforce. A proactive ap- proach increases the available talent pool at least ten- to twenty-fold. As a consultant, we approach those people. We engage them by talking about the things that they're really excited about. Then, we learn what that level of talent is. If someone says, "No," to us, we say, "Absolutely. I under- stand. Tell me, what would make an opportu- nity like this exciting enough that you'd want to investigate it?" We learn what their motives are such as, "I want a company that will support me as I get these additional certifications. I want a com- pany who will mentor me to learn in these ways." Notice that all of these are things that companies want their people to want. Then, we go back to the company, help them cus- tomize that, cater to the audience, and cus- tomize that offering. We get people who never thought they would ever change. Johnson: That's powerful. McNabb: That's the preferred method, and often, even that breaks down. Who are the people within a commutable distance? Who are the people regionally? Who are the people globally? We can escalate as far as we need, knowing that the relocation costs and stability of that relocation both go in the wrong direc- tion. But there's also a secondary strategy. If I can't get those people and if it isn't worth do- ing, then who are the developmental candi- dates ready to step into that role? Who is best positioned to make that transition? We end up Forget about who's available. Who are the most valuable people on the planet?