Hint: Listen to the stories people tell.

To any manager who has ever dealt with the hiring process, the following story will be all too familiar. On paper, the potential branch manager for BB&T Bank was superior to all other candidates. In the interview he had impressed everyone. His experience indicated he would perform at the highest level. Yet, a few years into employment, the branch manager had underperformed, under-delivered, and underwhelmed.

CEO John Allison was shocked by the performance. He had believed that he was beginning to understand human nature enough to select the right man for the job, when he was once again thrown a curveball.

In an attempt to track the performance of his branch managers he had created a Sterling Award program for high performers. Every year, Allison noted that the same few men and women won the award. Rarely did someone who appeared great on paper win. The winners tended to be less educated, less experienced, and supposedly less skilled. However there they were, the same people winning time and again.

Over the years, Allison had noticed a fundamental difference between the two types of performers. He was determined to understand what that difference was, so he headed to meet with a particular branch manager whose performance had been subpar, unlike his interview.

His experience indicated he would perform at the highest level. Yet, a few years into employment, the branch manager had underperformed, under-delivered, and underwhelmed.

Out the window went all Allison’s preconceived notions. He was going to listen and offer no advice to the manager. He was there to check in as he did with all his branches. This one was located in a flourishing southern American city. The economy had been down, but the local farmers were bearing through it as farmers are wont to do.

On his way to the office, his car stopped at a broken light. The driver waited for the oncoming traffic to pass, and then turned left toward the bank’s parking lot. The manager came out to greet the CEO. He had a warm and attractive smile, pressed suit, and not a touch of sweat despite the sweltering heat.

“Welcome, Mr. Allison,” he said through a thick smile.

John Allison followed the man into his offices and listened to the pleasantries about the weather, local economy, and the morale of the troops. The conclusions were trite. Weather: hot. Economy: poor. Morale: moderate. Allison said very little, but waited for the man to explain the poor performance.

As if his discussion on weather, economics, and morale should suffice, the man sat in silence having nothing further to add.

“And how are the loan numbers?” Allison asked.

“The rates of those other banks in town are too low, so I could not develop any more business.”

“And the Certificate of Deposits?”

“Competitors pay astronomically high rates for their CD’s, I was unable to attract new depositors.”

Allison said nothing.

“Surely you noticed the stoplight on the way in? Been broken for months. No one’s come to fix it. Customers have an incredibly difficult time finding the branch.”

Allison said nothing.

“Home office isn’t managing the computer systems well. Customers and employees are unhappy! I’m doing all that I can.”

“Thank you,” Allison said. The branch manager thought he was referring to his final statement.

Allison got up, shook the man’s hand and left.

The manager came out to greet the CEO. He had a warm and attractive smile, pressed suit, and not a touch of sweat despite the sweltering heat.

On the way home he contemplated the problem of the storytelling branch manager. He thought about that year’s Sterling Award Winner, too. The winner did not seem to notice the problems his branch faced. He had the same poor economy, he had the same competitors to contend with, and he had the same issues with local construction, yet his numbers more than doubled the other manager’s branch.

It suddenly occurred to Allison that therein lay the difference. When he had talked to the Sterling Award winner the man never once mentioned any of these obstacles. Instead, he told stories about the signs he had made and placed around the street so that customers could more easily find his office; he explained the training he gave to his people to ensure they could deal with all the objections customers had to their higher rates; he spoke of the community outreach programs he joined in order to develop more awareness for the bank.

Allison understood. Both men told stories. One weaved a tale where the problems, the obstacles, were the main character of his story. These were the central themes of his story. The Sterling man’s story featured himself as the main character. The hurdles on the path were merely that, hurdles to be hurled out of his way.

This knowledge served Allison and BB&T well. He now had a clear sense of the type of man he needed to hire. In the coming months, he replaced the branch manager.

The numbers rose steadily.

The stoplight remained broken.