VanderUnicorn Spotlight: Hailey Day is Agile

With over 30,000 interviews to our name, Vanderbloemen has mastered the art of identifying the best. It comes down to 12 data-driven traits that set the greatest workers apart as “Unicorns.” These traits are covered in-depth in William Vanderbloemen’s new book Be the Unicorn. 

But even the best of the best aren’t expected to master all 12 traits simultaneously. Excellence in just one of these traits can qualify a candidate for a vital role on your team. We believe each member of our team of experts exemplifies these traits in various ways, and we’ve chosen one person to highlight how each trait translates in the workplace.

Meet our Agile VanderUnicorn, Hailey Day

Some workers are notable for their ability to be agile. In Be the Unicorn, William writes that an agile person is someone who resists the human urge to grow stuck in their ways and maintains flexibility amidst change. While anyone can be flexible under comfortable circumstances, the agile person is flexible even in seasons of uncertainty.

We can think of no better Vanderbloemen employee who exemplifies this trait than Search Support Coordinator Hailey Day.

Hailey says she starts each day with the expectation that she will “get the job done,” whatever that may be. For her, being agile means willingly taking on whatever comes her way.

“I try not to have certain expectations for the day because anything can happen,” Hailey says. “It takes the stress away when you don’t have unrealistic expectations.”

The secret to being agile is not in personality - it’s in the mindset. This is good news, considering everyone has some degree of control over their mindset. 

“When I am feeling less agile, I try to remember that things are outside of my control,” Hailey explains. “I just change my expectations or lower them. Don’t put pressure on yourself or other people. Stop expecting things to happen a certain way and just let them happen.”

Cultivating agile unicorns on your own team

Coaching your team to adopt this daily mindset and encouraging a flexible atmosphere can help you to cultivate agility in your team. You can make your own unicorns. 

Encourage questions that will get your team on board with new ideas to help them be more agile. Initial resistance is normal when the staff doesn’t know the “why” behind changes. Even Hailey says she doesn’t feel as agile when she only sees change from her own perspective.

Getting comfortable with uncertainty 

Sometimes, being agile just requires trust - moving forward without those answers.

“Realize everything is going to be okay,” Hailey says, “and if it’s not, then put your trust in Jesus and lean on him.”

The challenge of being agile works like exercising a muscle - Hailey works to be agile daily with small changes. She knows that the more quick she is to trust in Jesus through small challenges, the quicker she will go to Him through big challenges.

“You don’t have to take advice from me. Look at Jesus in the Bible and see how he responded to certain situations,” Hailey says. “He’s our example, so when in doubt, look to him.”

We’re so blessed to have unicorns on our team like Hailey, and we want to equip your team with candidates just like her. To start the search for your own top talent, get in touch today.

To learn more about the 12 traits the best employees share, pre-order Be the Unicorn for yourself, a friend, or even your whole team. Buying in bulk can save you up to 47% off the cover price, plus it comes with bonus content and other extra perks. 

Finally, if you’d like to assess the strengths of your own team, check out the Vander Index, our new tool that's a companion to Be the Unicorn, based on our years of data collection and experience.