Hiring For Agency: How To Vet For a Thinker-Doer Mindset
Do you ever feel like your team is just going through the motions, rather than actively shaping outcomes? You're not alone.
According to Deloitte's 2023 Global Human Capital Trends survey, 84% of business leaders consider worker agency important or very important to their organizations' success.
Individuals with agency are timely and communicative when it comes to executing within the scope of their role, but they also actively shape company outcomes by proactively seeking out and addressing problems that your organization faces.
What Does It Mean to Have Agency?
Agency refers to a person’s capacity to take intentional, proactive action - it’s about owning outcomes, making independent decisions, and driving change rather than being driven by circumstances. People with agency see themselves as responsible for their success and are not satisfied with merely following instructions, but rather they look for opportunities to make an impact.
When it comes to hiring, recruiting individuals with agency means looking beyond technical skills to evaluate a candidate’s mindset and approach to problem-solving. It means finding people who are both thinkers and doers, and those who are not afraid to take risks, challenge the status quo, and own their decisions.
Why Agency Matters
In short, speed. Team members who demonstrate agency help organizations stay agile, adaptive, and resilient. They thrive in environments where innovation and autonomy are prized, and they take the initiative to improve processes, address challenges, and pursue strategic opportunities.
In contrast, employees who lack agency often wait for direction, rely on others for solutions, and struggle to adapt when circumstances change. These traits can slow down progress and hinder an organization’s ability to stay competitive.
Vetting for Agency in Your Hiring Process
One effective tool to aid this process is the Predictive Index (PI) Behavioral Assessment. The PI identifies personality profiles that demonstrate strong agency:
Maverick: Bold, independent, and results-driven. Mavericks thrive on autonomy and are willing to challenge the status quo to achieve outcomes.
Captain: Assertive and decisive, Captains take charge and pursue goals with determination.
Persuader: Socially driven and influential, Persuaders take initiative and motivate others to take action.
Pioneer: Adaptable and innovative, Pioneers explore new ideas and embrace change with confidence.
Integrating PI assessments into your hiring process can help you identify candidates who naturally embody a thinker-doer mindset. Spotting agency on a resume is also part of the art and part science.
Look for candidates who have demonstrated leadership, initiated new projects, or driven changes within their previous roles. Phrases like 'led a new initiative,' 'proactively solved,' or 'took ownership of' signal a proactive and results-oriented mindset. Additionally, resumes that emphasize continuous learning, problem-solving achievements, and cross-functional collaboration are strong indicators of agency.
Here are a few additional strategies to help you vet for agency:
Behavioral Interview Questions: Ask candidates to describe situations where they took initiative or solved a problem without being prompted. Look for signs of proactive thinking and the willingness to challenge norms.
Scenario-Based Assessments: Present hypothetical situations that require quick thinking and decision-making. Evaluate how they process information and come to conclusions.
Ownership-Oriented Questions: Inquire about past failures and how they handled them. Candidates with agency won’t shy away from admitting mistakes i.e. they’ll explain how they learned and adapted.
Assess Their Mindset: Ask questions that reveal their attitudes toward leadership, accountability, and personal growth. Listen for a strong sense of personal responsibility and commitment to continuous improvement.
The Perfect Amount of Agency
While agency can be a valuable trait, too much of it can also negatively impact a growing company. Team members with excessive agency may become overly focused on pursuing their own ideas or initiatives, losing sight of broader team objectives and consistency. This can lead to fragmented efforts, inefficiencies, and even tension within teams. It’s important to strike a balance that aligns with your company roadmap.
Building a Culture That Fosters Agency
Embrace agency and create an environment where (the right level) of agency is celebrated and expected. Start by making agency an explicit part of your company values, emphasizing personal ownership, initiative, and accountability as core expectations. Consider linking performance-based pay to outcomes that reflect agency and rewarding proactive problem-solving, independent decision-making, and effective leadership. Encourage autonomy, support calculated risk-taking, and celebrate innovative thinking. A workplace that values agency will naturally attract more of these high-impact thinker-doers.