Newsletter #20: Talking about talent acquisition with Paul McIntyre Royston, CEO of the Grand River Hospital Foundation
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I was once told that I was both over-qualified and under-qualified for a job I applied for. My salary expectations were too high, and my business writing projects weren’t same-same with the boxes the recruiter needed to check off before she could pass me to the hiring manager.
Another time, I hid my introversion so well, I ended up working in a call centre for 14 months. [Rejuvenating myself from this out-of-character experience is the reason I never returned your phone calls between 2004 and 2008.]
And when I was asked why I wanted to work at a bank during an interview, I said, attempting to make a spiritual connection with the interviewers, “I love money!” [This didn’t work, but as Wayne Gretzky said, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.]
It took me about three seconds to think of these examples of talent acquisition gone wrong. And I’m just one person! If we extrapolate this across the nation and world, how many times would we find disastrous and—perhaps worse—mediocre talent searches and hiring results?
When you look back at your experiences being hired or hiring others, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
If you’re like me, the phrase running through your head is, “There’s got to be a better way.”
Well, good news everyone. There is a better way.
I recently spoke to Paul McIntyre Royston, the CEO of the Grand River Hospital Foundation, about his approach to talent acquisition and talent retention.
It’s unconventional.
It’s maybe even a little weird.
But [SPOILER ALERT!], it works!
Paul has a long history of leading fundraising teams and he’s one of those high-achieving, goal-oriented top 40 under 40 folks (literally, he made Avenue Calgary’s 2015 Top 40 Under 40 list).
He doesn’t innovate for the sake of innovation; he innovates to accomplish his goals.
For example, during his time as the president and CEO of the Calgary Public Library Foundation, Paul oversaw a team that raised $320 M for the cause. $320 million!
So, he’s pretty legit.
In this video interview with Paul, we talk about how he oversees the talent acquisition process: job descriptions, interview styles, hiring practices and even performance reports.
I ask Paul what he does at each step and why he does it.
We talk about the results he’s gotten over the years, including how many times his approach didn’t work and the time his team overruled his hiring decision and he ended up hiring his #2 choice. Paul doesn’t hold back details; he lets it all hang out so other people can learn from his experiences.
Then we wrap it up with a story that happened at a private event for the Calgary Public Library Foundation. I didn’t expect to get choked up during this interview, but I did.
All that to say, watch the dang video interview! It’s 45 minutes long.
Interview with Paul McIntyre Royston, the CEO of the Grand River Hospital Foundation
Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKLzi2-x-Oc
By the way, you might notice that Paul cracks me up. He’s a funny guy, super good-natured and generous. We met two decades ago when we volunteered at the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group at U-Waterloo and we both went on to work with Katimavik. We lost touch for 20 years, connected again on LinkedIn and then in real life a couple of years ago.
I’m super grateful for that and to Paul for sharing his knowledge, experience and wisdom about finding and keeping top talent with me (and now you).
Check out the interview with Paul here.
Until next time, keep on truckin’,
Andrea
PS: To my Warren-Shepell-Morneau-Sobeco-Morneau-Shepell family, I don’t regret working in the call centre for 14 months because I made amazing friends, and I hope some of you are reading all the way down to the PS. You know who you are.
Comic relief
Innovation in Talent Acquisition: Paul McIntyre Royston, CEO of the Grand River Hospital Foundation!
There’s definitely humour in this video, including in the first minute when I can’t keep a straight face.
Just watch the video!
Epic tunes
Trooper - We're Here for A Good Time (Not A Long Time)
Did you watch the interview with Paul yet? Around the 35-minute mark, you’ll hear how this epic tune applies to Paul’s hiring and working philosophy.
Notes from the Rebel Alliance
Innovation in Talent Acquisition: Paul McIntyre Royston, CEO of the Grand River Hospital Foundation!
Paul is dominating all the segments of this newsletter. He’s a rebel with a cause when it comes to talent acquisition and retention.
Just watch the video interview!
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