1. Constellation Connected Enterprise 2011
SuperNova Award Winner
Category: Emerging Technology
Most award program s recognize the technology suppliers for their advancements in the
market. Few, if any, program s have recognized individuals for their courage in battling the odds
to effect change in their organization. The Con stellation SuperNova Awards celebrate the
explorers, the pioneers, and the un sung heroes who succes sfully put new technologies to
work. More importantly, these leaders have created positive, disruptive change in their markets.
Mike OʼNeill, CEO, Preferred Sands
Preferred Sands is creating a new way to compete in a very old industry, and it needs
great people in order to succeed. Preferred’s business model works, but we were having
a lot of trouble building the team that would enable us to expand. There is not a very
large pool of knowledgeable people in this industry, and some who know the business
don’t fit the way Preferred does business. Also, although we have first-class offices in
suburban Philadelphia, our production sites are remote and rugged. Adding to the
challenge, Preferred’s rapid growth demands close collaboration and precise execution.
We just weren’t getting that in some of our new hires, and the failure rate was
unacceptable.
Early in 2010, I learned about new technology that claimed to predict how people ‘team’
together. I had my doubts, but I asked our HR team to take a look. The first time we
used The Gabriel Institute’s Role-Based Assessment, it was to see what it would say
about an existing operations team. The results were not only revealing and accurate,
they were actionable. We solved the problem. Then we started using ‘RBA’ for hiring.
Again, the results were outstanding.
Before RBA, we were judging people by the usual ‘talent’ measures: intelligence,
experience, education, personality and so on. With RBA, we were able to add the quality
of their ‘teaming’ characteristics into the mix. Going on two years, we have made an
unbroken string of high quality hires, and our turnover rate is nil.
Q. What was the state of affairs at Preferred prior to implementation of this
program, and how did your program seek to improve the situation?
A. Prior to the deployment of TGI Role-Based Assessment, Preferred Sands was
engaged in the acquisition, operation, and modernization of mining assets. The firm
was growing rapidly, and coincidentally, was also consolidating its headquarters in a
new location. A high percentage of ‘failed hires,’ and costly strategic and operational
issues associated with the turnover, made these challenges all the more difficult. The
goal was clear: significantly improve quality of hire, fast. (continued overleaf)
©2011 Constellation Research Group – Used by permission.

2. Q. TGI’s RBA is disruptive to standard hiring practices—how did you get buy-in
from HR for implementation?
A. We trust in the competence of our HR department. They were acutely aware of the
problem. We found an interesting technology that seemed — at least on the surface —
to be a potential solution. HR tried it and agreed. Then we put it to a real test, and the
business value was clear. When you’ve got something that works, it doesn’t matter if it’s
new, or disruptive. We needed that kind of disruption.
Q. Can you share some stats—how has TGI RBA impacted your business?
A. In the drive to grow and cope with rapid change, Preferred needed people who get on
board quickly, blend well, and produce at a high level. Instead, we were experiencing
turnover in the neighborhood of 30%. From the time we began using RBA, that number
began to fall and is now, effectively, zero. The time and cost associated with the hiring
process is also reduced. Now, before we invest in face-to-face meetings, we screen for
the kind of team-players who are the right fit for the job, for a specific team’s mission,
and for our culture.
Q. What are key lessons you learned during the implementation process?
A. Everybody agrees that getting the right people in the right seats is good for business,
and that this is a difficult goal to achieve. We learned that when you can identify how a
person will ‘team’ with others, that – at least for Preferred – you have the missing piece
of the ‘right people/right seats’ equation.
Q. Can you share one example of the project’s success.
A. Our reduction in turnover is a pretty good example of net results, but we also solved
other problems along the way. After one of our acquisitions, we evaluated the staff and
decided to bring in a general manager. The new hire seemed great at first, but then
problems began to appear. This particular situation coincided with our discovery of
Role-Based Assessment, and became our first ‘field trial.’ The entire staff at that site
took the assessment, and the RBA reports virtually mirrored the actual behavior issues.
This taught us the first lesson about the importance of matching a person’s (RBA-
measured) ‘Role’ and ‘Teaming Characteristics’ to a specific situation. We then used
RBA to find the ‘right fit’ at the GM level, and to make other adjustments. The problems
went away.
Q. What advice would you give to others seeking to start a project similar to what
you created?
A. At one point during the height of our frustration, I questioned a number of other
CEO’s, and every one I talked to was troubled by the inability to consistently hire quality
people. So here’s what I recommend: whether you have hiring quality problems, or team
performance problems, or any other people-related issues or challenges, stop paying so
much attention to ‘talent,’ and focus on finding the right team-players.
©2011 Constellation Research Group – Used by permission.