The people within an organization are the vessels that can execute. The most faithful mission, ingenious ideas and strongest plans cannot be fulfilled unless they are executed on. Human beings are the bridge between thought and action, and with this in mind, the right decisions regarding people are critical for an organization to thrive and succeed to the next level.

Placing the wrong person into a job responsibility that does not suit them not only cripples the individual, but those below and around them as well. In order to avoid traps like this, managers need to have a system in place; otherwise emotions can make ineffective people decisions.

There are five decision steps when making people decisions:

1. Carefully think through the work assignment
2. Review several qualified people
3. Review the candidates performance and what each did well
4. Get feedback from those who have worked with and around the candidate
5. Make sure the appointee understands the assignment

Carefully think through the work assignment. Any organization needs to learn to change along with society in order to survive. A job title can remain the same for years, but the job responsibilities and assignments can change depending on economic booms or busts. In recessionary times, organizations can layoff hundreds or thousands of workers which can change the assignment of any executive that stays to re-structure. Thinking through the assignment helps narrow down those who can take on the new roles and responsibilities.

Review several qualified people. Find out which formal qualifications are attached to this assignment. With the group of individuals you have in mind, review their qualifications and absence of qualifications dismisses the candidate. The absence of training and qualifications does not mean that person cannot do the job well, what it means is you are limiting the risk of choosing the wrong candidate.

Review the candidates performance and what each did well. Do not start off with what the candidate can’t do. Everyone has weaknesses, what is important is building strength and limiting weakness. Performance in business is achieved by building on an individual’s strengths; find those strengths that fit best to the assignment. It is one thing for someone to “do” the assignment, it’s another for someone to “perform” in one.

Get feedback from those who have worked with and around the candidate. You can only see one side of the prism when reviewing a candidate's strengths and limitations. In order to get a view of the majority or all sides of the prism, going out and getting feedback from the candidate’s peers or directs helps you see the traits that have impressed (or not impressed) others. The analysis of the candidates “people environment” helps gauge and fine-tune towards the decision.

Make sure the appointee understands the assignment. It is your responsibility as a manager to explain clearly what the assignment entails. Then let the new person have time to go over what actions they would want to take in order to be successful and perform in their new role. Once the standards and the plan have been set, committing it to writing will help in reviewing the assignments success in the future. It is critical that the appointee understands their assignment, as failure to understand is failure to achieve.

The right people decisions are the most effective way to eliminate future problems. The hours it can take to make the right decision can save you the months of dealing with the wrong ones!