You Hired the “Right” Person…So Why Isn’t It Working?
Most leaders can remember that interview.
You’re sitting across from a candidate who feels familiar. The conversation flows easily. You laughed at the same things. They’ve worked in your industry before. They “get it.” Maybe they even remind you a little of yourself.
You walk out thinking, this one’s a no-brainer.
Fast forward a few months.
They’ve been onboarded. They’ve had time to settle in. And something’s off.
They’re not delivering the results you expected. They struggle with follow-through. Communication feels clunky. You’re spending more time managing than leading. And you can’t quite reconcile the person you interviewed with the performance you’re seeing now.
Sound familiar?
I see this happen all the time — even among experienced CEOs and leadership teams. The mistake isn’t that leaders don’t know how to interview. It’s that interviews, by nature, reward connection and familiarity, not fit.
We hire people we like.
We hire people who feel safe.
We hire people who have done something similar before.
And then we’re surprised when that isn’t enough.
The part most leaders miss
Interviews tell you how someone shows up in a conversation.
They don’t tell you how someone:
- handles pressure
- makes decisions
- responds to conflict
- follows through
- prioritizes work
- or interacts with others when stakes are high
That’s where tools like DISC, Driving Forces, and EQ assessments come in.
Used properly — not as a shortcut or a label — these tools dramatically improve hiring outcomes. In fact, when organizations use them consistently as part of the hiring process, they see success rates north of 90% in placing people in roles where they can actually succeed and perform.
That number gets leaders’ attention for a reason.
Scenario: What changed when the tools were used
I worked with a company that had repeated trouble filling a key leadership role. On paper, the candidates looked great. Industry experience. Strong resumes. Solid interviews.
But the pattern was consistent: strong start, disappointing execution.
When we slowed the process down and incorporated DISC, Driving Forces, and EQ assessments prior to the interview process, something became clear very quickly. First we did a position assessment. The role required someone who thrived on structure, consistency, and follow-through. The candidates they kept hiring were big-picture, relationship-driven thinkers who got bored once the day-to-day work set in.
No one was “bad.”
They were just mismatched.
The next hire didn’t feel as comfortable in the interview. Less chemistry. Fewer shared war stories. But the assessments told a different story — and that story aligned perfectly with the actual demands of the role.
That hire is still there today. Performing. Growing. And saving the company an enormous amount of time, money, and frustration.
Three things to think about before your next hire
1. Liking someone is not the same as hiring the right fit
Chemistry is powerful — and misleading. We naturally gravitate toward people who think, communicate, and operate like we do. But organizations don’t need clones. They need complementary strengths.
Assessments help you separate personal comfort from role alignment.
2. Experience doesn’t guarantee performance
Industry experience can be valuable — but only if the person’s natural tendencies match what the role actually requires today. A high-performing sales leader can struggle badly in an operational role. A visionary can suffocate in a detail-heavy position.
Tools like DISC and Driving Forces help answer a critical question interviews often miss:
How will this person actually work once the honeymoon is over?
3. The cost of a bad hire is almost always underestimated
Most leaders think about salary and onboarding costs. They don’t calculate:
- lost momentum
- team frustration
- extra management time
- missed opportunities
- or the emotional toll of “knowing this isn’t working” but delaying action
Using assessments isn’t about being overly cautious. It’s about being disciplined.
A final thought
The best leaders I work with don’t use assessments to replace judgment — they use them to sharpen it. These tools don’t make decisions for you. They give you clearer data so you can make better ones.
If you’re hiring — or struggling with a role that never seems to work out — it might not be a people problem. It might be a fit problem.
If you want help thinking through how to use these tools effectively (without turning hiring into a science experiment), reply to this newsletter. Sometimes a small shift in how you evaluate candidates makes a very big difference.
Onward and upward,
Executive Coaching and Consulting for business CEOs, Owners and Presidents
If you are looking to grow your business or amplify your personal leadership skills, I would love to have a conversation with you. You can email me at karen@karencaplan.com for a no obligation conversation.
