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How Simple Yet Powerful Changes Unlocked Two Years of Record Growth, with Steven Street, Ep # 113

Feb 11, 2022

Looking back on the past two years, how would you summarize the impact that Covid-19 had on your business? For most companies, this was a devastating time and an even worse period for the individuals who worked in these firms. It was no different for the team at Cubed Talent Management, but they opted to turn the cards into their favour and can now look back on two records years. Added to this success, they are confident in predicting a 35% increase in the budget for 2022. 

What Steven Street, CEO of Cubed Talent Management, brings to the table is much more than 25 years of experience and exceptional skills in the industry. The insights he is sharing is much more profound as it speaks of a deep understanding of how to take a calm approach amidst global chaos. Under his guidance Cubed Talent Management could revert back to basics, set certain vital systems in place and excel beyond expectations

“Without sounding like I am fetishizing the pandemic which was terrible and truly a crisis for too many people. There was something strangely exhilarating about the whole thing where there was little we were completely in control of and I think it had a bit of a levelling effect,” is Steven’s take on the first couple of weeks after Covid-19 became a very relevant reality. In this podcast, he shares how his team managed to turn what could have been a disaster into profound success. 

Episode Outline and Highlights:

  • [0:28] Introducing Steven Street
  • [3:24] How Covid-19 illuminated the need to live by your company values 
  • [9:48] What is CIRCLE and how did it create a launchpad for new growth and success?
  • [14:00] Freedom regarding working conditions ensured productivity 
  • [15:25] 1st of June 2020 became recovery week 1
  • [18:00] Lesson #1 from the pandemic - keeping it simple
  • [25:00] Redefining key markets to include sustainable sectors
  • [26:30] What were the most prominent changes ensuring record-breaking years?
  • [28:13] The benefits stemming from looking at the business from a different perspective
  • [32:25] What is a pre-registration storyboard and how to use it to differentiate your brand
  • [43:13] Hosting virtual events for clients helped to improve the team’s success in converting more candidates into placement
  • [53:02] Effective implementation of “doing more and talking less”
  • [58:50] Addressing increased personal productivity and improved behaviour 

How Cubed Talent Management Managed to Turn Covid-19 Into Two Record Years

“What the pandemic taught us was really was to flatten and simplify and we went back into direct drive. For every input, for every hour worked, for every pound spent, for every effort expended, we’ve got to see the wheels turn and they’ve got to turn quickly and they got to turn and take us into the right direction to the next destination which was recovery, consolidate. grow and then scale.”

Steven explains how they realized when the pandemic stripped away the numbers they were used to and all the comforts and certainties that come along with success, all they had left was each other and the values they shared and the bonds that tied the team together. 

The platform they could use to gain traction again consisted of basic human needs of association, community, security and a sense of belonging. The result was a record two years in the business. As they had no choice but to change, they opted to go at it “really hard and radical.” They realized that they went through the typical enterprise maturity cycle and that they need to take on the mindset of being a startup again. This was how they could attend to the tasks that really mattered and made a difference to their success. From here they could proceed from recovery mode, to consolidate, grow and scale. This is where they are now and the foundation that allows them to put an exciting but reasonable growth expectation in place for 2022. 

The Values That Served as the Glue Leading to Success 

CIRCLE - what does it stand for? Steven explains what these values are what they were holding onto. He also emphasizes that for values to be the platform of your success, you need to do more than claim them, you need to live them. While value statements are mostly written manifestos of what your brand stands for during times when all is well, their team has experienced that their values became even more tangible when all bets were off due to this immense disruption of lives the world experienced during especially the height of the pandemic. 

Lesson Learned - Keys to Lasting Success

Cubed Talent Management showed themselves as exceptionally successful to manage their in-house talent optimally during a time that might as well turn out in quite a different manner. What did they learn during this time?

  • Simplify procedures
  • Redefine key markets
  • Be more productive
  • Be more discerning about what communication is necessary and when
  • Revert to doing what a start-up does 

These are only some of the aspects Steven believe will enable a recruitment firm to enjoy an unexpected level of success. 

Our Sponsors

This podcast is proudly sponsored by i-intro®. 

i-intro® is an end-to-end retained recruitment platform. Our technology and methodology allow recruiters to differentiate themselves from the competition, win more retained business, bigger fees and increase their billings. Be sure to mention Mark Whitby or The Resilient Recruiter for a 25% discount. Book your free, no-obligation consultation here: www.recruitmentcoach.com/retained 

Steven Street Bio and Contact Info 

Got into recruitment on the ground floor - fortuitously, with Larry Gould's business Link Up in June 1993 - followed by a successful stint with Pertemps (which would have been my forever career - had I not launched Relay Recruitment in 1996; subsequently sold in 2011. Now working with an amazing handpicked team at Cubed Talent Management.

As stated on my LI profile: a human Swiss Army knife, problem solver, acquirer and nurturer of World Class talent, therapist, wine drinker, believer in a brighter future and, most importantly- lover of dogs. 🐶 Yorkshire born and bred - dragged up in Bradford.

A vociferous enemy of mediocrity, shabby service, average aspiration, poor standards and negativity.

My own personal mission is to launch a community enterprise supporting young people with Autism, Aspergers and other additional needs into dignified internships, work placements, work experience and ultimately, quality career pathways. 

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