Beyond EQ: What Coaches Miss About Player Performance

What if those advantages are deliberately more favorable than what's offered to those already at the top? What if we created entire systems designed to give extra support, resources, and opportunities to those who are behind?

If you felt a visceral "no" just now, I get it. Such suggestions often trigger immediate pushback about merit, fairness, and earning your way.

But what if I told you that some of America's most beloved and profitable institutions have been doing exactly this for decades? And not only do we accept it - we enthusiastically tune in every week to watch it work?

Welcome to the NFL draft.

Every year, we watch a system that deliberately advantages struggling teams. The Browns don't get told to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps." The Giants aren’t accused of cheating when they get early picks of top talent. Instead, we've built entire structures to ensure that those at the bottom get extra help, additional resources, and preferential access to new opportunities.

And here's the kicker: Look at the Kansas City Chiefs heading into Super Bowl 2025 this Sunday. Despite a system that deliberately gives advantages to struggling teams, the Chiefs are appearing in their fourth Super Bowl in five years. Having systematically lower draft picks hasn't destroyed their ability to excel. They've simply had to continue working hard and making the most of their opportunities - just like everyone else.

Giving advantages to those who are behind doesn't automatically diminish those at the top. The Chiefs aren't losing because other teams get better draft picks. Excellence, merit, and hard work still matter – we've just created a system that gives everyone a better shot at achieving them.

Why? Because we understand something fundamental about sports that we seem to struggle with in other contexts: Sometimes, helping those who are behind lifts up the entire game.

Now, let's be clear - the challenges faced by struggling NFL teams aren't directly comparable to the systemic barriers and historical disadvantages faced by marginalized communities in our society. Professional sports franchises worth billions aren't the same as generations of families who've been denied access to education, housing, or career advancement opportunities. The parallel isn't perfect.

But the principle illuminates something important about how we think about advantage and opportunity. If we can understand that giving struggling teams extra support makes the whole league stronger, why do we resist programs designed to give historically disadvantaged groups better access to opportunity? If we celebrate systematic advantage every Sunday, why do we question it on Monday morning?

I don't claim to have the perfect policy solutions for addressing generations of systemic inequality. These are complex challenges that require thoughtful, nuanced approaches. But what I do know is this: There are people and communities who need us, as a society, to create better pathways to opportunity - not handouts, but real chances to compete and excel. Just as we've done in sports, we can create systems that both maintain high standards and ensure everyone has a fair shot at meeting them.

The timing couldn't be more relevant. As we debate dismantling DEI programs in 2025, millions will gather this Sunday to watch our most profitable sports league showcase a system built on the principle that those with the longest distance to cover need extra support to compete. So perhaps before we rush to declare victory over "unfair" corporate DEI initiatives, we should ask ourselves: If we can cheer for equity on the field, why not in the workplace?

You find the candidate.
Flawless resume.
Impressive credentials.
References that sound like fan mail.

You hire them.
Ninety days later, they’re gone.
Or worse, still there, but underperforming.

Sound familiar?

We’ve all been sold the same illusion: that the “perfect hire” exists, and you can find them by skimming for the right buzzwords, schools, and job titles.

Here’s the truth: The perfect hire is a myth. And chasing it is costing you more than you think.

1. The Resume Tells You What They've Done, Not How They'll Work

We've built entire hiring processes around a flawed assumption: that past success in one environment predicts future success in yours.

It doesn't work that way.

A resume shows you what someone has done. It lists skills they've learned and companies they've worked for. But it can't tell you how they're naturally wired to work, which matters far more for long-term success.

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Take two candidates with nearly identical backgrounds, same degree, similar experience, comparable skills. Put them in the same role, and their performance will likely be dramatically different.

Why? Because one might be energized by independent problem-solving while the role needs constant collaboration. The other might thrive on structure when your environment demands comfort with ambiguity.

The credentials match perfectly. The natural fit doesn't. And that gap is where 46% of new hires fail within 18 months.

The Better Question:

Instead of "Can they do this job?" The real question is "Will they thrive doing it?"

Skills can be taught. Your systems can be learned. But you can't train someone to be energized by work that drains them.

2. Experience Can't Compensate for Misalignment

We assume experience solves everything. Hire someone with enough years under their belt, and they'll figure it out.

Except they often don't.

Working against your natural wiring is exhausting. It's like being right-handed but forced to use your left hand for everything. You can do it, but it requires constant effort and never feels natural.

When someone's natural drives match what a role requires, something different happens. They don't just work harder, they work more naturally. Tasks that would drain someone else energize them. Problems that would frustrate others engage them.

Organizations tracking this see real differences:

• 40% fewer people leave when natural drives match role requirements
• 3x better productivity compared to misaligned placements
• 67% higher engagement when people work in naturally fitting roles

Experience still matters for knowledge and expertise. But alignment determines whether someone will sustain high performance, or burn out trying.

3. The Real Cost Isn't the Salary. It's the Momentum Lost

HR often cites the cost of a bad hire as 1.5 to 3x the annual salary. SHRM estimates it's closer to 500% of annual salary for mid-level roles once you factor in recruiting, onboarding, lost productivity, and team disruption.

But even that number misses something bigger: opportunity cost.

Every day someone is misaligned in a role, you're not just losing money. You're losing momentum. You're losing the compounding gains that come from having someone naturally wired to excel.

Think about the projects that don’t launch. The clients who never close. The innovation that stalls. The team morale that drifts.

The cost isn't just what you're spending, it's what you're missing.

4. “Culture Fit” Isn’t a Personality Match, It’s a Drive Match

Everyone talks about hiring for culture fit. But too often, that gets confused with hiring people who seem familiar or agreeable.

Real culture fit means alignment between how someone is naturally driven to work and what your environment actually demands.

Common Misalignments:

• A brilliant analyst in a relationship-first role
• A structure-driven thinker in a fast-paced, chaotic environment
• A natural collaborator placed in solo project work

None of these are skill issues. They’re energy mismatches. And those mismatches compound over time.

The best organizations don’t guess. They get specific about what drives success in each role, and they assess whether candidates are wired for those dynamics.

5. Building Teams That Actually Work

The perfect hire is a myth. Perfect implies someone who excels across all roles, in all environments, under all conditions. That person doesn’t exist.

But the right hire? That’s real.

That’s someone whose natural drives align with what the role truly demands. Someone who doesn’t have to fight their wiring to succeed. Someone who fits, not just on paper, but in practice.

This Isn’t About Lowering Standards

It’s about getting sharper. More precise. More honest about what truly predicts success in your organization, not what reads well on a resume.

Extraordinary teams aren’t made by collecting top credentials. They’re built by aligning the right people with the right roles and letting their strengths do the work.

The Shift Forward

It starts by redefining what success looks like in each role.
Then it takes the right tools to uncover how candidates are naturally wired—not just what they say in interviews.
And finally, it requires the courage to hire for alignment over familiarity.

The question isn’t whether alignment matters, the data confirms it does.The real question is: Are you ready to stop chasing “perfect” and start hiring for what actually works?

The Resume Relic

Let's face it: resumes are relics. They're snapshots of past experiences and skills, often carefully curated and increasingly unreliable in the age of AI-generated content. Even if we could guarantee their authenticity, two critical questions emerge:

1. Can resumes reliably tell us about a candidate's skills and experience in today's rapidly evolving job market?
2. Are skills and experience even among the top things we should be looking for in a candidate?

The truth is, the resume-centric approach to hiring was never foolproof. It became the standard because, for a long time, it was the best option we had. But in today's dynamic business landscape, it's time to look beyond the paper and focus on factors that truly predict success.

The Top 10 Factors More Important Than Skills & Experience

‍Here are ten factors that might be more predictive of a candidate's success than their listed skills and experience:

1. Hardwiring and Innate Drivers

‍Understanding a person's core motivations and natural tendencies can provide invaluable insights into how they'll perform in a role and within a team. Tools like Aptive Index can help uncover these crucial attributes. These innate characteristics often determine how effectively someone will apply their skills and experience.

2. Adaptability and Learning Agility

‍In a rapidly changing business environment, the ability to adapt quickly and learn new skills is often more valuable than existing knowledge. A candidate who can pivot quickly and absorb new information will outperform one with a static skill set.

3. Culture Fit and Values Alignment

‍How well does a candidate's personal values and work style align with your organization's culture and mission? This alignment can significantly impact their job satisfaction, productivity, and longevity with your company.

4. Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

‍Self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills are crucial for effective collaboration and leadership. High EQ often translates to better team dynamics and customer relationships.

5. Problem-Solving Approach

‍How a candidate approaches complex problems can reveal more about their potential than their current skill set. Look for creative thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to break down complex issues.6. Resilience and GritThe capacity to persist in the face of challenges and bounce back from setbacks is a strong indicator of long-term success. This trait often separates high performers from the rest.

7. Potential for Growth

‍Assessing a candidate's capacity and desire for development can be more valuable than their current skills. Look for curiosity, eagerness to learn, and a history of personal and professional growth.

8. Collaboration and Teamwork Skills

‍The ability to work effectively with others and contribute to a positive team dynamic is crucial in most modern workplaces. These skills often determine how well a person can apply their individual abilities within a team context.

9. Alignment with Future Organizational Needs

‍Consider how well a candidate's potential aligns with where your organization is heading, not just where it is now. This forward-thinking approach can help future-proof your workforce.

10. Diversity of Thought and Experience

‍A candidate's unique perspectives can bring valuable diversity to problem-solving and innovation within the organization. This diversity often leads to more creative solutions and better decision-making.

Moving Beyond the Resume

‍Does this mean we should toss resumes out the window? Not necessarily. They can still provide useful context about a candidate's journey. However, they shouldn't be the primary factor in hiring decisions.Instead, we need to develop more holistic assessment methods that take into account the factors listed above. This might involve:

• Structured interviews that probe for adaptability, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit
• Psychometric assessments to understand a candidate's innate drivers and potential
• Job auditions or simulations to see how candidates perform in real-world scenarios
• Reference checks that focus on a candidate's soft skills and ability to learn and grow

Conclusion

‍It's time to move beyond the resume and rethink what truly matters in hiring. By focusing on factors like innate drivers, adaptability, and cultural fit, we can make better hiring decisions. This approach not only leads to more successful hires but also opens doors for candidates who might have been overlooked in a traditional resume-centric process.The future of hiring isn't about finding the person with the perfect list of skills and experiences. It's about finding individuals with the right potential, drive, and alignment with your organization's values and goals. By prioritizing these ten factors over traditional skills and experience, you'll be well on your way to building a more dynamic, adaptable, and successful workforce.