Why people with a bias for action are most suitable for hiring

Studies show that making quick decisions is one of the key factors differentiating successful people from unsuccessful ones. 

Imagine this – You have worked hard on a digital marketing campaign for your company. The action plan is based on solid data, and you have carefully laid out the strategy for launching the campaign. But you are stuck in an analysis paralysis situation. The more you analyze the campaign, the more you feel that there are things to fix. 

What should you do? Spend more time deliberating over the campaign? 

I suggest, roll the dice. Launch it and learn in the process. Or, in other words, be biased towards action. 

A person with a bias for action is inclined to act rather than over-think. But it is important to note that a bias for action is done on calculated risks and not just a hunch.

Why is the bias for action a desirable trait in employees

As an entrepreneur, I always look to hire people that are biased towards taking action. It is not only me, giant corporations like Amazon have the bias for action imbibed in their core principles. They value candidates with a bias for action, and here are some reasons why: 

Decision Makers

In business, speed is of utmost importance. Delay in making a crucial decision can result in monetary loss. A person who is biased towards taking action makes an excellent decision-maker. 

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Bias for action is a leadership instinct. While conducting interviews for Ergode, I try to see the quality of ownership. Is the candidate capable of taking complete responsibility for his actions? Self driven people who function independently are a great asset to the company. 

Creative Thinkers

Taking action does not always mean taking the perfect action. One will always make mistakes. Bias for action allows one to fail fast and then learn how to recover from it. So, people with a quality of bias for action develop creative thinking to mitigate failures. In business, it is important to keep moving rather than being stuck for the sake of being safe. 

By hiring people with a bias for action a company builds a culture where progress is encouraged. So, how does this help in the long run? 

We live in a world that is constantly evolving. For a business to survive, it needs to keep up with the changing times. In fact, a business must be ahead of time. You see, time is of great essence here. For a company to thrive, it should always be working on future projects. 

Bias for action is the principle that will push a company, and its employees to stay ahead of time. Remember, the example I quoted at the beginning of the article about launching a digital campaign. What if the digital campaign was the ‘Real Beauty’ campaign for Dove. Now, would you still wait upon it, or would you be quick to launch it?

I am sure you will choose the latter option because at times perfection doesn’t matter. What matters is the right timing. Unnecessary deliberating and not taking action can result in a missed opportunity. 

Having said that, I must emphasize the fact that bias for action is not about being impulsive. A decision qualifies under bias for action only when essential information is evaluated, data points are considered, and strategies are put in place to alleviate risk factors.