My favorite interview question
Just about halfway into the football season, my hometown Miami Dolphins are on the struggle bus (again), and it's reminding me of my favorite interview question. I know it may be a weird connection...bear with me a minute and it will make sense (even to non-sports fans).
After their latest loss to one of the worst teams in the NFL, journalists and fans alike are wondering when the Dolphins are going to fire their head coach, Mike McDaniel. It's an obvious question...so obvious, in fact, that reporters have been asking the coach at press conferences the last few weeks whether he is worried about his job, and his answers have been predictable. He's focused on doing his job, not whether his job is in jeopardy. He also doesn't appreciate being asked the question over and over again.
I also find very little value in the question, though for a different reason. The exchanges shed very little light on how he is navigating their current struggles beyond the Xs and Os of fixing an offense and a defense. It would be much more interesting to know how this compared to the worst adversity Coach McDaniel ever faced as a coach or player and how he worked his way through that adversity. It's a slight variation on my favorite interview question -- "What's the biggest challenge you've ever faced and how did you get through it?"
Why is this my favorite interview question? Because it provides so much insight into a person's journey. What does a person think is difficult? When they describe a difficult situation, do they own their contributions to it, or do they externalize blame for the situation or the outcome? What coping skills does a person use when facing adversity? Do they approach adversity with a growth mindset (adversity will stretch me and help me learn) or a fixed mindset (adversity reinforces my limits as a person or professional)? Where do they seek advice? And what did the person learn from the experience?
Good interview questions also help after the selection process is done. They become an invaluable tool for leading and supporting a person once they're on board. Everyone faces adversity at some point. It might be purely professional, or it might be due to personal circumstances that impact their professional lives. Knowing how individuals have dealt with adversity in the past can help you find effective ways to support them when adversity shows up in the future.
As I've watched the Dolphins' season descend into chaos, I've wondered how Coach McDaniel would answer my favorite question and what light that might shed on how he's navigating his current predicament. It would be so much more interesting than listening to him repeat the standard refrain that he is focused on doing his job as long as he has a job.
It’s worth taking a few minutes to think about your favorite go-to interview question(s). How do they help you in the selection process? How can they help you once you’ve made your selection and your candidate has joined your team? And the next time you have someone on your team that’s struggling, think back to that interview. What did they tell you that may shed light on how they work through challenges. If you don’t remember or you didn’t ask, it’s never too late. The answer may just give both of you the key to overcoming that next hurdle.
