At a time when data-driven decision-making is essential for organizational success, understanding the balance between data and human intuition is crucial. David Dubin, Founder and Principal at People Strategies, leverages his expertise in industrial-organizational psychology to help organizations navigate this landscape effectively.

In today’s conversation, David sat down with Joel Lister-Barker, host of Talking Data, to explore his journey into the world of people science, the often-overlooked factor in hiring processes, and how data analysis can reveal unexpected insights in leadership assessments.

David’s Journey

Joel: David, thanks for joining us today! Let’s start with your background— Where did it all begin and what led you to founding People Strategies?

Thanks for having me. My journey began in high school when I took a psychology class and discovered my passion for industrial and organizational psychology. I pursued this interest at the University of Texas at Austin and later at the University of Houston for my Masters and PhD. Initially focused on quantitative psychology, I shifted to a more applied approach, where I could see the real-world impact of selection and assessment in organizations. After working at consulting firms like Valtera and Aon, I noticed a gap in tailored solutions for smaller and mid-sized businesses. This inspired me to found People Strategies where we bring people science tools to decision-makers across organizations of all sizes.

Joel: Data-driven leadership is often touted as key to organizational success. How do you help your clients balance using data for decision-making with human intuition when it comes to hiring?

Human intuition will always play a crucial role in the hiring process. Even the most data-driven methods cannot eliminate the need for human judgment. With that said, I see my role as supporting decision-makers by providing them with the best data to enhance their intuition. The first step is helping them clarify what success looks like for their organization. This involves defining “mission-critical” tasks, understanding the organizational environment, and identifying the necessary knowledge, skills, and attributes that candidates need to succeed. Once we have a clear picture of what we’re looking for, I assist in designing or sourcing effective assessments to measure these relevant traits. This includes ensuring that interviews are conducted in a way that minimizes bias and focuses on job-relevant characteristics. One of the most overlooked aspects of this process is validation. After making hiring decisions based on our assessments and interviews, it's essential to determine whether these methods accurately predict employee success and organizational effectiveness. By validating our processes, we can confirm that we’re on the right track and ensure that our approach effectively balances data-driven insights with human intuition.

Joel: In your experience, what are the most common data points or metrics that companies overlook in their hiring process to find the most suitable employees?

In my experience the most commonly overlooked data points in the hiring process often relate to softer skills. When I talk to leaders about their decisions to let people go, I find that many cite non-technical issues rather than a lack of technical skills. This typically involves problems related to communication, conflict, and a lack of adaptability to feedback and coaching. To ensure a good cultural fit within the organization, it's essential to assess these communication styles and interpersonal dynamics during the hiring process. An effective approach is to use personality assessments, which can provide valuable insights into the communication style of candidates and how they might fit within the team. For example, understanding whether a candidate is more skeptical or action-oriented can help determine how they will interact with others. I also recommend asking candidates about their experiences with feedback and how they’ve responded to it in the past. If they provide vague or dismissive answers, it could be a red flag about their ability to grow and adapt in the workplace. By focusing on these softer skills alongside technical competencies, organizations can improve their chances of hiring individuals who will thrive.

Joel: Can you share an example where data analysis revealed something unexpected during one of your assessments?

One example of unexpected insights from data analysis happened during an assessment that I carried out for a senior leader at a financial institution. The general perception among stakeholders was that this leader was power-hungry and overly controlling, which contributed to a reputation for having a terrible temper and being overbearing. However, through the assessment process, which included gathering 360-degree feedback and conducting interviews with the leader, I discovered that the reality was quite different. This leader wasn't motivated by a desire for power. Instead, he had a strong vision for how things should be done and was highly exacting in his expectations. His frustration stemmed from a belief that things must adhere to his standards, leading to misunderstandings about his intentions. This example illustrates the importance of understanding the 'why' behind certain behaviors. While perceptions can shape reality, this particular assessment process allowed us to uncover the root cause of his actions. Instead of advising him to tone down his perceived ambition, we focused on encouraging him to relinquish some control, build consensus, and delegate more effectively. This kind of insight highlights why data-driven assessments are invaluable—they often uncover nuances that can significantly impact leadership development and ultimately, the success of an organization.

Joel: When you're assessing the effectiveness of hiring processes or employee development programs, what role (if any) does benchmarking play in your evaluations?

Benchmarking is a bit of a funny thing when it comes to assessments. While it’s often seen as a simple and quick way to identify whether a candidate is a 'good' fit, it can be misleading without further analysis. Simply identifying what the best performers have in common can lead us to overlook critical distinctions that separate high achievers from others. That’s why I emphasize the importance of performing thorough analysis about the actual role that we are hiring for, alongside any benchmarking. This allows us to understand not just the traits of successful candidates but also what differentiates them from less successful ones in that particular role. By examining both the general traits of the candidate and specific requirements for the role, we can avoid conflating incidental commonalities with genuine predictors of success. It's also important to consider how performance can vary in different contexts. What works in one environment may not in another, and this understanding guides us in how we assess candidates. While benchmarking can provide useful insights, it’s important to perform a thorough analysis of the role to make an informed hiring decision.

Joel: Is there anything else that you would like to share about using data effectively in the world of hiring and leadership assessments?

To use data effectively in hiring and leadership assessments, one thing that often gets overlooked is the importance of collecting and disseminating data efficiently. If we don’t have access to the necessary data or the right processes in place, we risk reverting to guesswork, which undermines the entire assessment process. For example, I have a friend who works in the assessment division at one of the largest organizations in the world. He often shares that his biggest frustration is not the assessment work itself, but rather the challenge of influencing stakeholders to provide access to data. He finds himself spending too much time acting like a data engineer to extract the information he needs, rather than focusing on the high-level assessment strategies where he truly excels. This situation highlights the importance of streamlining data access and making it available to those who need it, so they can focus on leveraging their expertise to drive meaningful outcomes.

Joel: If you had a magic wand that could do anything with data, what is the one thing that you would make it do?

The ability to clean data! On new projects I often discover that the data hasn’t been cleaned properly, which can take up a lot of my time. So, if I could magically ensure that the data is clean and reliable, I could dive straight into uncovering insights without worrying about the integrity of the information. This would not only streamline my work but also enhance the value I can provide to my clients!