Latest / The Talent Brief / You’re not confused. You’re ignoring the signal.
Transcript
- Jeff Ganter: You're not confused. You already sense what's wrong. You felt it during that conversation, that decision, that moment, you said yes when your gut told you no. So you're not confused. You're just ignoring the signal. Welcome back to the Talent Brief. I'm your host, Jeff Cantor. So I want to try something a little different. Not just a tactic, not a trend. Not merely another debate about what's wrong with hiring or leadership. I want to explain why I first started doing this work. Because if you were listening to this, there's a good chance you're going through something right now, a decision, a transition, or a moment when everything looks fine on the outside, but doesn't quite feel right inside. And here's the truth. I didn't enter this space because I had all the answers. I entered it because I've spent over 20 years watching people second guess themselves precisely when they're prepared for more, whether professionally or personally. I've sat across from candidates who were more than capable, but didn't believe it. I've worked with my best employees on strategy who taught me so much every day. I've worked with leaders who built successful teams, but still felt disconnected from them. I've partnered with companies making smart decisions that didn't sit right with me. And eventually those decisions caught up with them. When you've been in staffing and recruiting for a long time, you don't just look at resumes and interview candidates. You observe people. You notice hesitation. before someone answers a question, you pick up on what's not being said in an interview. You sense when something is off, even if everything on paper suggests it should work. And if you're really paying attention, truly paying attention, you begin to notice patterns, not just in hiring, but also in behavior, decision-making. and how individuals hinder their own progress. That's the part nobody warned you about. And that's just one portion of what attracted me to coaching. Since recruiting revealed what was happening, coaching helped me understand why. And more importantly, how to handle it. I've built a business that's lasted over 20 years. And I'll be honest with you, it wasn't because I had some master plan, because I didn't. Many days I had no idea what I was doing. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other. It was because I learned to rely on experience rather than noise. How to listen with a different perspective. How to adapt when situations become uncomfortable. and how to notice when most people tend to overlook the signals. And this is something I will discuss frequently in my podcasts, signals versus scripts. Scripts are what we've been told. What success is supposed to look like. What a good leader sounds like. What is the right career path? Signals are quieter. They show up as a gut feeling in an interview, a pause in a conversation, or that internal voice that says, this isn't it. Even when everything looks right on the surface. Most people overlook that. They go back to the script. Why? Because it's safer, familiar, and accepted by everyone around them. But here's what I've learned from both my career and personal life. The biggest mistakes I've seen in hiring leadership and life didn't stem from a lack of information. They came from ignoring what was already known. That feeling you get about a candidate, that hesitation before accepting a role, that moment when something just doesn't sit right, and yet you push through anyway. You haven't overlooked it. You ignored it. I understand. I've been through the same thing many times, but what's different now? I no longer ignore it. And when I work with clients, I also make sure they don't ignore it because clarity isn't something you can just find. It's something you start facing. So whether you're leading a team, building one, or figuring out what's next for yourself, Here's what I want you to sit with. Are you still following a script that no one that no longer shows you truly are? Not one you used to be, not who others expect you to be, who you are now. Because if you don't answer honestly, you'll keep building something that appears correct, but actually feels wrong. And that's a tough place to live. So here's your challenge. This week, focus on noticing one moment where your instinct conflicts with your logic. And instead of overriding it, pause, sit with it, question it, because that's where the real answers start. If this resonates with you, share it with somebody who needs to hear it. And as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Until next time, trust what you're sensing. It's there for a reason. As always, thanks for listening to the Talent Reef. I'm Jeff Ganter. See you soon. Bye.