With over 30,000 interviews to our name, Vanderbloemen has mastered the art of identifying the best. It comes down to 12 data-driven traits that set the greatest workers apart as “Unicorns.” These traits are covered in-depth in William Vanderbloemen’s new book Be the Unicorn.
But even the best of the best aren’t expected to master all 12 traits simultaneously. Excellence in just one of these traits can qualify a candidate for a vital role on your team. We believe each member of our team of experts exemplifies these traits in various ways, and we’ve chosen one person to highlight how each trait translates in the workplace.
The next Unicorn trait is to be curious. The Curious bring an irreplaceable quality to your team. People who are curious about others ask more than they answer, taking a genuine interest in the world around them.
Manager of Executive Search Sarah Meggers stands out as The Curious on Vanderbloemen’s team. Sarah approaches life with a unique mindset: she has something to learn about anything and anyone she encounters.
“Being curious in a lot of ways feels like a mix of being aware of everything around you and being open to not knowing everything,” she says.
Sarah makes a hobby of researching, and with time, she has accumulated an abundance of random knowledge and the skill of finding more.
“I always say mysteries don’t live long around me,” Sarah remarks. “Anything that is a mystery to solve is exciting to me.”
This excitement about the unknown is the perspective you need on your team. How does your team react to unforeseen challenges and unsolved problems? If you have curious staff members, your team will get to work exploring the issue.
You can be the change if your team struggles with curiosity. Practice by asking questions.
“Don’t make assumptions,” Sarah advises. “There is so much in the world to learn and grow from, and not being curious makes you miss out on so much of that.”
You can also apply this curiosity to your faith, Sarah says. Curiosity will serve your relationship with God well.
“If you aren’t consistently curious about learning more deeply about who God is or what He is saying through scripture, you are missing out on so much richness and depth of relationship with Him,” she says.
If you feel like you don’t know the right questions to ask, surround yourself with curious people and observe how they interact with the world. Your eyes will gradually open to the unknown around you. You’ll never run out of things to learn, whether you are aware of them or not.
“Staying curious,” Sarah says, “even with people that you’ve known for years, or with God, enriches those relationships.”
Find your unicorn
We’re so blessed to have unicorns on our team like Sarah, and we want to equip your team with candidates just like her. To start the search for your own top talent, get in touch today.
To learn more about the 12 traits the best employees share, order Be the Unicorn for yourself, a friend, or even your whole team. Buying in bulk can save you up to 47% off the cover price, plus it comes with bonus content and other extra perks.
Finally, if you’d like to assess the strengths of your own team, check out the Vander Index, our new tool that's a companion to Be the Unicorn, based on our years of data collection and experience.