Chapter 1: The Challenge of Recruitment

Finding the right candidates can be a daunting task, particularly in the unique context of hiring in India. This complexity was especially apparent during my tenure as General Manager for a Dutch IT subsidiary in Chennai, where I was tasked with recruiting a senior sales manager to spearhead our software sales in the Indian market. Fortunately, I had the support of the local HR manager, who was familiar with the distinctive hiring practices in the region, which greatly differed from those in the Netherlands.

The recruitment process was fraught with challenges. Competing against larger, more established multinational firms made it difficult to secure talent. Each time we identified a promising candidate, they would often choose to join a more recognized company, leaving us in a frustrating position. To mitigate this, we began extending job offers to two candidates simultaneously, hoping at least one would accept. However, this strategy proved ineffective, and our urgency only increased as our Dutch headquarters pushed for sales momentum in India.

In a moment of desperation, I made a regrettable decision: I hired a con artist.

Now, you might think that sounds extreme, but at the time, I was unaware of his true nature.

What transpired?

After a lengthy search for a qualified sales manager, a candidate emerged who seemed to possess both the skills we needed and immediate availability. Let's refer to him as Ravi. With his dark hair, average stature, and polished appearance, he exuded confidence and enthusiasm. Unfortunately, hidden beneath this facade was a cunning individual.

Relieved to have found a suitable candidate, we performed our due diligence, verifying his credentials and conducting multiple interviews. Everything appeared in order. Or so we thought.

During one of our final interviews, I asked, "So, Ravi, are you ready to take on the sales role for our company?" His reaction—a brief pause and a look of confusion—raised my suspicions, but I brushed it off, convinced we had finally found our man.

Initially, Ravi’s performance was promising. He grasped our needs and generated a plethora of ideas. We set ambitious yet achievable sales targets and discussed the necessary resources to support his efforts. From my office, I observed him diligently working, making cold calls with the persistence of a seasoned telemarketer, and I often participated in meetings with potential high-value clients.

We held biweekly meetings to discuss his progress, but I soon noticed that his reports lacked clarity, making it difficult for me to assess his achievements. Despite my requests for concrete data and the creation of a sales prospect datasheet, his forecasts remained vague.

After six weeks, there was still no sign of actual sales agreements. While we had only recently launched our sales efforts in India, the absence of revenue was concerning. Thus, I decided to monitor Ravi more closely.

As our meetings continued, my discomfort with him grew. Unlike other employees, my frustration with Ravi felt different, and it became apparent to my colleagues. As his probationary period came to an end, we faced a decision regarding his contract renewal. Despite the challenges in recruitment, we leaned toward extending his employment. Before doing so, I arranged a meeting to discuss his performance and our expectations moving forward.

During this meeting, when I pressed him for specific details about his prospects, Ravi became visibly defensive. His reaction startled me; he leaned back, crossed his arms, and dismissed my request with, "A REAL manager would trust their employees and wouldn’t ask for such detailed information."

Taken aback, I realized he was withholding information. When I inquired further, he insisted he had fulfilled my requests and that I should be satisfied without needing proof. Unable to accept his vague responses, I consulted the HR manager about my concerns, prompting her to reverify his references.

Shortly thereafter, she returned with unsettling news: nearly all his reference numbers were disconnected, and the one that was operational led to a different individual than expected. Our inquiries revealed that the company associated with that number was, in fact, launching a subsidiary in Chennai—run by Ravi's brother.

I quickly understood the reality: while Ravi appeared to be working diligently, he was actually building a network for his brother's venture, all under our employment. This revelation led to his immediate termination.

Reflecting on the experience, I recognized the warning signs I had overlooked, particularly his puzzling response during our interview. This incident served as a costly lesson in the importance of thorough vetting and the need to cultivate mentalization skills—understanding the mental states of others to make informed decisions.

In a subsequent role, I conducted job interviews for an international organization, determined not to repeat my previous mistakes. I revisited my psychology training, particularly focusing on mentalization, which allows us to infer the mental states of others based on their behaviors.

Research indicates that while we often assume we are good at understanding others, we can falter in our assumptions. A study by Sillars, Koerner, and Fitzpatrick revealed that family members frequently misinterpret each other's thoughts and feelings, underscoring the complexities of mentalizing.

When attempting to predict behavior, we often rely on faulty strategies, such as assuming mental states remain static, employing common sense reasoning, or projecting our thoughts onto others. These biases, including the False Consensus Effect, can lead to misjudgments.

To enhance our understanding of social interactions, we must adopt a personalized perspective of others' mental states. Reflecting on my experience with Ravi, I realized I had not sufficiently trained my mentalizing abilities to interpret his ambiguous responses accurately. By allowing my emotions to cloud my judgment, I facilitated his deception.

Ultimately, I learned to focus on the mental states of others, reclaiming my mentalizing faculties to navigate complex interactions more effectively.

Have you ever found yourself misled by a skilled manipulator? In retrospect, what strategies could you employ to discern their true intentions?

Chapter 2: Enhancing Mentalization Skills

In this video, titled "I Hired A Con Man | Crew Stories #12," the narrator shares a gripping tale of hiring challenges, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in the recruitment process.

The second video, "I Hired a Scammer to Work for Me! | A Scam Story #5," further explores the ramifications of hiring mistakes and the lessons learned from such experiences.