The sounds of simulated gunfire and explosions reverberated thru the compound. Instructors barked orders at our class thru megaphones, hosed us with water, made us crawl thru the mud. For one entire week my class went thru the grinder while working on limited sleep for the opportunity to become Navy SEALs. One by one classmates would disappear as they decided that this wasn't for them. When the dust had settled and the week was secured, the class roster was set but it wasn't what anyone would have expected. Many of the physical studs that were with me at check-in were not around. What happened?

To the casual observer, this timeless selection process known as 'Hell Week' is designed to find the most physically tough individuals and train them to be frogmen. But for anyone that has analyzed the ritual, it becomes clear that the SEAL selection process isn't looking for Olympic athletes, it is searching for much more. The true purpose of this crucible is to identify people with the intrinsic traits necessary to excel in the most complex and dynamic environments. I'd like to take a moment to describe the method behind the madness and demonstrate how the SEAL selection process can help any organization improve their competitiveness.

Before arriving at SEAL training, all potential candidates are screened to determine suitability. This initial screening is based on tangible metrics that recruiters collect but they represent the bare minimum required to begin training. Once at SEAL training, students are required to complete a series of physical events (such as 4-mile timed runs and 2 mile ocean swims) but these tests only ensure they are ready for the rigors of Hell Week. Students know the true test, the one that matters, is looming like a dark cloud on the horizon and on an ominous Sunday evening it arrives. For an entire week, the class performs a multitude of exercises and events which simulate the chaos of combat. The only expectation- don't quit. If you push thru the week you have a high probability of becoming a SEAL. Thus while tangible physical metrics are utilized for initial screening, Hell Week is the pinnacle of the selection process. 

So what exactly are the instructors looking for if it isn't physical prowess? Resilience is the most obvious characteristic that Hell Week exposes. Those that have the mental fortitude continue with training, those that do not, quit. Making students uncomfortable (wet and sandy) and taking away sleep is a quick way to identify their level of resilience. Secondly, it identifies team players. In fact, individualism is shunned as each student is required to stay with arms reach of a swim buddy (sorry, no COVID protocol here) and operate in 'boat crews' for the entirety of training. Last, and certainly not least, is humility. Hell Week absolutely crushes egos. If students haven't learned humility at this juncture, they get a crash course and quickly adopt the quality or leave. Resilience, team-ability, humility represent the bedrocks of the SEAL culture. The underlying theme of the selection process-  instructors seek students with strong intrinsic character and utilize stress to uncover that character.

“Ok then, what are the implications for my organization?” I will offer two things to consider. The first is to analyze how you are picking your team. While it is easier to default to traditional HR practices such as resumes and interviews to down select your next hire, they fall short in understanding the character of the individual. This in turn could lead to a bad cultural fit, a wayward employee, or worse, a degradation in productivity. Stress is the best way to uncover character. I'm not suggesting that you put new prospects under a cold hose and see how long they last, but perhaps there is room for more creativity in the hiring process. Placing candidates into an actual workplace scenario, testing them on their declared skillsets under a time crunch, making them describe instances in their past which they overcame adversity are all possibilities. Regardless of the form it takes, organizations should incorporate appropriate levels of stress into their selection if they want a deeper understanding of the prospective hire’s character.

The second thing to carefully consider is what you are looking for in a new hire. Because most hiring teams have day jobs, they don't have the luxury to effectively accomplish this. As such, they often gravitate to skills- the fastest runner, the smartest student, the candidate with the most awards- but is that what an organization really wants? My experience has shown me that the intrinsic traits, the ones more difficult to measure, are what make an individual perform at higher levels and make those around them better. My teammates (yes they are teammates not colleagues) have always been people willing to elevate the mission above their own concerns. That is by design, not accident. The SEAL ethos clearly articulates the desired qualities and is the rubric by which instructors evaluate each student. Respected members of the SEAL community isolated themselves for a month and developed this ethos to define the expectations and responsibilities of being a frogman. Don't overthink this! All I’m suggesting is that you write down your valued traits and give them to your hiring managers. In fact, you probably have a great idea of what you are looking for you just haven’t put pen to ink. While time consuming, this exercise will prove invaluable in helping you find the right talent for your organization. I would argue that if you don't hire on the basis of a defined set of values, you leave the results up to chance.  

SEALs selection is a deliberate and stressful process. It has a history of successfully identifying the individuals required to work in stressful climates and be successful in dynamic environments. Like experienced assembly line workers, instructors easily spot individuals with internal defects and remove them from the production line because they know exactly what they are looking for. With the recent pandemic forcing organizations to rethink operations, now is the time to take a hard look at hiring and talent management practices. Adapt these principles to assist you in searching for your next teammate because, at this juncture, every member's output is crucial. Find ways to incorporate stress, write down the qualities you are looking for, ask yourself, "are we creating high performance teams?" If not, you may consider rethinking the way your organization is picking your team.

Authored By: Mike “Loco” Uyboco, Managing Director