Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky’s Run Fast. Eat Slow. cookbooks are never far from my kitchen. Shalane Flanagan won the 2017 New York City Marathon eating the recipes from their first book that are not only delicious but packed with the good stuff that keeps you full and fueled.

One of my favorite recipes from these books is the power bowl. The formula is simple!

Grain + Veggie + Protein + Sauce = Power Bowl!

My current go-to is farro, kale, red cabbage, beets, feta cheese, pumpkin seeds, and lemon-miso dressing. With fall coming I’m looking forward to rotating in some roasted veggies.  

Learning about this combination of simple ingredients was really impactful for me. It taught me how to create a tasty and macronutrient-full meal using a few foundational elements – and that I can add a lot of variety to the sauce and other toppings to really make it special.  

Isn’t that a lot like recruiting the right candidate for your organization? You determine what the non-negotiables are – the core skills, experiences, and/or values that will generate successful outcomes for both the organization and the candidate – and then see what unexpected qualities may present themselves throughout the process.

Our recruitment project plan always invests significant time in the process of learning and communicating the must-have foundational elements of a position. After all, if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for how will you know if you’ve found it?  

And just like sharing a meal that you have made using a new recipe, it is great to involve others in the recruitment process. We encourage inclusion of key stakeholders in everything from creating the position profile to participating in the interview process. While the hiring manager or transition committee is ultimately responsible for evaluating skills and experience, key stakeholders can add tremendous perspective in speaking to a candidate’s values and special sauce!

Skills + Experience + Values + Special Sauce = Power Candidate!

These days I feel like I am eating fast and running slow, however, I am training for the City of Oaks half marathon this fall so I’m hoping to flip that! Are you training for a run? How about getting ready to recruit a new team member? Either way, I’d love to hear about it!

Sam Wright is a Senior Advisor with Armstrong McGuire who specializes in talent acquisition, resource development, coaching, and data analysis and research. Learn more about Sam in her bio.‍