5. What are you really into outside of work?
It is tempting for leaders to try and prove their passion and commitment by promising to BE THE JOB. It is equally easy for Senior leads to put so much into staff that you require them to work 24/7.
Work life balance is vital if staff are to stay healthy and motivated. But just balancing time isn’t enough. What are staff interested in outside of work? Do they have a hobby or passion that they can use as a way of getting a proper break from work related issues?
It doesn’t matter what it is but if they don’t have a passion or curiosity, we don’t hire them,” says Piers Fawkes CEO PSFK
6. “How do you learn?”
Stephen Baker, CEO of Attivo, wants to know how self aware his staff are of what they are doing to constantly improve.
“Every employee is constantly faced with new tasks and new challenges. The best employees always want to be pushed out of their comfort zone.”
Can leaders articulate how they would learn a new topic or skill? If they have identified an aspect to work on, it is a great sign of discipline, organisational skills, and intellectual curiosity if they are also able to talk through how they are going to do it.
Arguably the feedback you get from this question can provide critical insight into how you can expect them to perform and the kind of support they may need in their role.
7. “When it’s all over, how do you want to be remembered?”
Gino Blefari, CEO HSF Affiliates LLC, wants to know what consideration his teams are giving to what their legacy will be. Staff can easily be swamped by day to day tasks. If there isn’t a clear long term goal – with an equally clear plan – then they may well not achieve their potential.
Legacy statements are also an opportunity for staff to indulge in some moon shot thinking. Leaders who have a compelling vision for what they want to achieve, who are aiming high, inspire those around them. It can also aid retention. If they have a goal that will take 2-3 years to achieve, and you support them on their journey to it, they will be more likely to stay.
Are staff in your organisation confident enough with you to take the risks necessary to really have a lasting and significant impact? Do they know that they will be supported and that you value innovation and new ideas? How do you model this for them? It is easy to ask this of others, but what is your legacy? How do you involve others in it and will anyone else know what you have achieved?
As the senior leader, how openly do you recognise the achievements of staff and share their impact with others? Do you celebrate the steps they’ve taken to realising their legacy and do others recognise why it is important?
8. “Don’t just tell me that you were a rock star, show me how!”
Andreas Bodczek, CEO, says that when he assessed possible employees he is looking for them to explain what they are going to be able to do… not just recount what they have already done.
“What interests me is assessing how the candidate perceives the role and its challenges after all of the discussions they’ve already had with other team members. At this stage they should have an impeccable grasp of the challenge at hand and what they can bring to the table. If this isn’t clear, an alarm bell rings in my mind.”
When leaders start their careers, everything tends to be framed in terms of the team, ‘what we did’. As they progress to senior positions it can be harder for them to be extremely specific about what their personal contributions to any successes that have been achieved. It isn’t about being egotistical, it is about being honest with what you have done and how you have made a difference.
Malcolm Drakes's Blog 