As if there isn’t already enough on CEO’s minds, (especially CEO’s who hold an ownership stake) it seems there is yet another role for them to play. I call it CEO: Chief Education Officer.

I typically hear from clients who are challenged in hiring to fill open positions. Their attempts to find early career candidates who are ready to contribute are often met with frustration and disappointment. While credentialed and seemingly educated enough many applicants are found lacking in essential skills like critical thinking and problem solving and collaborating and cooperating with co-workers and in ad hoc teams. A lack of basic communication skills, both oral and written, is also noted. There is also what one client called “a lack of understanding of organizational life and what is required to be a responsible member of a team.” What’s going on here?

In his book ‘There is Life After College,” author Jeffrey Selingo conducted extensive interviews with both early career jobseekers (mostly recent graduates) and potential employers to try find out why, with so many open jobs to fill and no shortage of job seekers, both sides seem to come up empty in their respective searches.

In Passcode: Deciphering the Unwritten Codes of Career Advancement, author Jim Kessler pulls no punches in laying out a game plan for both early career/recent graduates (prepare to make yourself indispensable) and for employers (re-think your approach to staff development).

Training is necessary, but not sufficient. Education is required. Onboarding of new team members now requires teaching about “organizational life” and it extends far beyond what to wear.

For more information on building effective teams in your organization, contact me at joe@ajstrategy.com