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Wake Up Eager Podcast   |   Wake Up Eager Leader Tips

The Hire Is the Starting Line:
How Great Leaders Use SPARK™ After the Hire

After the Hire
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Suzie Price shares real stories and three practical SPARK™ processes that help leaders use TriMetrix assessment insights after hiring to strengthen onboarding, coach employee development, and improve workplace collaboration — without needing to become assessment experts.


TOP 3 TAKEAWAYS

  • 1. Start Strong: Use the First 90 Days to Build Connection

    • The SPARK Onboarding Success Guide helps managers have three intentional conversations during the first five weeks of employment, building trust, understanding, and clear expectations while setting the stage for continued development through the first 90 days. Managers don't have to interpret the assessment. The employee reviews their own results, and the leader follows the guide, asks questions, and listens.

  • 2. Coach Smarter: Start with the Role and Build on Strengths

    • Effective coaching begins with understanding what superior performance looks like in the job. Use the SPARK Hiring Template and employee's TriMetrix Coaching Report to identify strong areas of alignment and select one or two important attributes to leverage or strengthen. TriMetrix University Learning Bites provide practical development resources, so managers don't have to create a development program from scratch.

  • 3. Work Better Together: Understand Differences Before They Create Friction 

The Collaboration Report helps two people compare DISC communication styles and Motivators to understand similarities, differences, strengths, and potential blind spots. Using the SPARK Collaboration Report Quick Review Guide, both people can identify simple adjustments that improve communication and working relationships.

CALL TO ACTION

Ready to put your assessment insights to work?  

  • Download the free After the Hire Guide: 3 Conversations Great Leaders Have Companion Handout, choose one employee or working relationship, and start with one conversation. 
  • If you found this episode helpful, share it with a manager, HR professional, or leader who could benefit from using assessment insights beyond the hiring decision. 

KEY SUZIE QUOTES

  • Main Episode Message "The hire is the starting line. There's so much we can do to help people succeed once they join our teams." 
  •  Assessment Confidence "You don't need to be an assessment expert. You need to be interested in understanding your employee." 
  • Strengths-Based Leadership "Development doesn't always have to focus on a weakness." 
  • Assessment Interpretation "The employee leads the discussion about their results. The manager's job is to ask questions, listen, and learn." 
  • Practical Leadership "You don't need to have all the answers to be a good leader. You do need to care enough to ask good questions and follow through on what you learn." 
  • Collaboration "One thing I understand better about you after this discussion is..."

 

    PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  •  Your After-the-Hire Challenge: Choose one person. Choose one conversation. Agree on one action.

    • You don't have to launch a new program or become an assessment expert. Start with the situation that would be most helpful right now.

  •  For a new employee: Start Strong

    • Give the employee their TriMetrix Streamlined Coaching Report and direct them to the My Assessment debrief video and resources.

    Then use the SPARK Onboarding Success Guide to schedule three conversations: during the first week, within three weeks, and within five weeks. Let the employee share what stands out about their results and what helps them do their best work.

  •  For an employee you're developing: Coach Smarter

    • Review the SPARK Hiring Template alongside the employee's TriMetrix Coaching Report. Recogn ize strengths that support the role. Choose one or two important attributes to leverage or develop. Use TriMetrix University Learning Bites, agree on a practical development action, and schedule a follow-up.

  •  For a working relationship that needs attention:

    • Work Better Together Create a Collaboration Report from existing assessments. Review DISC styles, top Motivators, strengths, and possible blind spots together. Ask each person to identify one thing they understand better about the other and one adjustment they can make.

  • Remember You don't have to explain every graph or interpret every result. The SPARK guides tell you which sections to review and which questions to ask. If you're unsure, ask your HR or assessment support person for help.

ABOUT THE HOST

Suzie Price is the founder of Priceless Professional Development and host of the Wake Up Eager Podcast. For more than 20 years, she has helped organizations use TriMetrix assessments, leadership coaching, and practical development tools to make better people decisions, strengthen workplace relationships, and build high commitment, low-drama teams.

She created SPARK™ Superior Performance Attributes Review Kits to help leaders connect the capabilities required for superior performance with practical hiring, onboarding, coaching, and collaboration processes.

 Assessment Learning and Development Resources

A self-paced assessment debrief video and related resources to help employees recognize their strengths, understand their results, and prepare for conversations with their leaders.

Short, attribute-specific learning resources that help employees understand and strengthen capabilities important for success in their roles.

An introduction to TriMetrix, including DISC behaviors, Motivators, and Acumen/Personal Skills.

Learn more about TriMetrix assessments, SPARK tools, leadership coaching, team development, and assessment certification.


KEEP EXPLORING — RELATED WAKE UP EAGER EPISODES

Episode 44: Getting New Hires to Stay: Reduce Turnover & Increase Motivation in the Workplace Suzie shares her own challenging onboarding experience and practical ways leaders can help new employees feel welcomed, connected, and productive.

Episode 45: More Getting New Hires to Stay with HR Executive Judy Simmons, PHR Suzie and Judy discuss common onboarding mistakes, employee retention, and helping new hires become successful.

Episode 82: Onboarding with TriMetrix: Why and How It Works  Learn how to use TriMetrix during onboarding, including coaching reports, employee development resources, and strengthening the new-hire experience.

Episode 99: Creating Connection and Positive Relationships with Side-by-Side Reports Explore how Side-by-Side Reports (now called Collaboration Reports) help people understand communication differences, motivators, and working relationships.


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