A Revealing Interview Question
Today’s guest post is from Bob Herbold, the former Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Corporation and author of What’s Holding You Back: 10 Bold Steps that Define Gutsy Leaders
(CLICK HERE to buy your copy). You can read more about Bob at the end of this post.
In the 26 years I spent at Procter & Gamble, one of my most valuable learnings was in the area of interviewing candidates for jobs. Since P&G puts big investments into the development of talent, the company was highly selective in hiring. Hence, we sought out any research we could find regarding what individual characteristics were predictive of eventual achievement of a high level position in an organization.
One particular line of questioning that I found most useful, and research suggests is very revealing as to what motivates and drives an individual to eventual success, is as follows:
When you were young, who was the person that was most influential in teaching you valuable lessons about life? What were those lessons the person taught you? What are those tapes this person put into your head that are still there today and have emerged as guiding principles for you?
Usually the person is a parent, an influential teacher, or some other authority figure. Often times, this person came into the individuals life as early as grade school or high school.
The lessons you are looking for are basic principles that suggest a high degree of self confidence, a sense of personal responsibility, a strong drive to achieve, and solid fundamental ethics. No hint of these kinds of traits should be a red flag.
The interviewer should then probe in depth the role the interviewee played in outside activities or other initiatives to see if the existence or lack of these kinds of traits, matches up with the individual’s track record in achievements.
Let me give you an example. Back in 1995, when I was at Microsoft, I remember vividly interviewing a young man from University of Waterloo in Toronto who was getting a Masters degree in computer science. He was born in Poland, and sent to live with an Aunt in Toronto for high school, and he then went to Waterloo.
When I asked my favorite questions cited above, he responded immediately along the following lines: “That’s easy. My Mom always reminded me: Given your humble roots, you must work harder than anyone else around you. My Father was also very clear: save for the unexpected and never do anything that would embarrass the family.”
In probing his background in high school and college, I found out that when he arrived in Canada from Poland in early August, to start high school in 4 weeks, he knew no English. He graduated from high school in 3 years, and during those years emerged as the captain of the tennis team, while also working 15 hours a week in a restaurant. At the restaurant he noticed how much money they were wasting because of sloppy purchasing, and he convinced the owner that he could put together a set of inventory management procedures that would cut the waste dramatically and he did. He got a scholarship to Waterloo that paid about half of the total cost. He paid the other half from his savings and from his job as a computer programmer for a local bank where he worked part time during most of his college days.
This is one person I have stayed close to over the years. He worked for Microsoft for ten years and today is the CIO of a major hardware manufacturer. I can clearly see that he is still influenced by the tapes his Mom and Dad put into his head in those early years. That is the way most people operate in life.
Talent is everything, so you need to equip yourself with a powerful arsenal of questions for identifying top candidates.
– Bob Herbold is the former Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Corporation and the author of the recently released book What’s Holding You Back: 10 Bold Steps that Define Gutsy Leaders. More on the book and Bob’s blog on leadership can be found at www.bobherbold.com.
Interesting post. As I read it, I wondered if such influences would be appropriate for “any” hire, regardless of the position being filled. The anecdote at the end would seem to demonstrate that, yes, those traits are important for any level of employment.
As long as the employer is ready to keep moving people up or willing to accept they may be a stepping stone on the employees life path, I would guess that such screening is the way to go. Besides, if everyone is screened in this manner, the employer will have a packed “bench” ready to rise up and fill a void.
Love this. Great timing also. Over the last 7 years I’ve given the correlation of “childhood” and “adulthood” traits and characteristics a lot of thought. It’s amazing to me to see what was always there it just didn’t manifest until later (in my case being an entrepreneur. It was ALWAYS present, I’ve always been a big picture person and I’ve always thought up ways to make money, be creative & connect people. I use to hold “plays” in the backyard and charged the parents to come see the show (they also had to bring their own chair. My mom didn’t think melting her soap down (I calling it SOFT SOAP) & selling it was very “cute” but…oh well, I still think it was a great idea, I just should have ask to use the soap she bought! I’ve also discovered that childhood is where we gain our confidence. It is NOT from someone patting you on the back saying “good job” it comes from what YOU believe YOU accomplish. No matter how small that is… it builds confidence. At one time I could hurdle an 8 foot fence. That was an “accomplishment” to me. Putting plays & dances together was an accomplishment. I probably didn’t think so at the time or think anything of it, but that was one of the many bricks that built my confidence. Gathering kids up in the neighborhood and teaching them what I was learning, built my confidence and I’ve learned, even though I don’t teach in a classroom, it’s in me to share, to network, to connect others, to teach on all kinds of levels, to see potential and to “build” Thanks for this encouragement & tip!
Sorry but I disagree. It’s a little too personal not to mention this question assumes every person had a role model. Some don’t and that lack of a figure is what propelled them – not an individual person. Thing is – saying that during an interview brings an uncomfortable awkward silence that looms for the rest of the conversation. Perhaps the route to go is what propelled you and not who…
I agree Karen. The suggested line of questioning is irrelevant for a good deal of the population. Did you notice how his cited answers were all unbelievable – maybe Mr. Herbold is just naive.
And the new book’s title suggests there’s a prescribed recipe that will guarantee leadership – bogus. Written like a successful executive pretending that HOD is intuitive.
Agree with you
I own a PR firm so it’s important that our employees read and write, as part of their daily lives. Because of that, I always ask what people are reading. If it’s US Weekly, I know they’re not going to make it in our agency.
Great question for two reasons.
1. It is not the type of question that most people expect so you will not get a canned answer.
2. It starts looking a the person value that were established early in life.
I would suggest you may want to start with a different question and than move into this one.
Tell me about the first thing you did to earn money. What did you learn from that job and what was your position when you started and what was you position when you left.
T
This is an excellent line of questioning. To address commenter karen’s concern about awkwardness, it could be rephrased as “Describe someone or something that shaped your values as a young person and continues to provide principles that you live by today.” That leaves the interviewee free to go in any direction whether family, faith, or a major life event that was transforming.
Michael,
Unfortunately that is a problem. What if the applicant goes on to recount an experience related to a religious or cultural event and then does not get hired.
They can then make a discrimination claim.
Best to guide applicants away from these sort of revelations.
Lawyers don’t run businesses. As leaders we need to step up to this kind of crap, figure out what our people are made of , and stay on the right side of the ethical line. Bottom line is anyone can make a discrimination claim regardless of what is asked in an interview. We need to stop running scared of this BS and actually make real leadership stands.
I like both the article and Mel’s reply — these are questions that do demonstrate values and may tell you whether someone will succeed. While Karen may be right in that a candidate could have difficulty idenitfying a mentor or someone from their youth that affected them, perhaps they will identify someone more recent. Most of us continue to learn throughout our lives. I’ve never had a boss from whom I didn’t learn something (although some of them taught me how NOT to do things) and I continue to learn every day from employees, our customers and my bosses.
I agree with Bob Herbold on childhood tapes…………http://rproy1.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-dad-my-hero.html
Excellent line of questioning. When I interview people I like to ask them what books they have recently read? Have they ever heard of Napoleon Hill or Dale Carnegie?
Over the years I only had a handful even know the names or titles of books. I know I never learned about these books until after I graduated from college.
There should be an entire class on classic books like How to Win Friends and Influence People and Think and Grow Rich.
I am in the hospitality industry. My questions to candidates are the following. 1. Can you do the job as prescribed? 2. Are you flexible with working hours? You may have to work long hours, work on weekends and holidays? 3. Is there anyone who may influence you from not performing such duties/assignments? If the answer is no, well when can you start. If one deals for 8 hours or longer with the public the last thing at ones mind is to read a book.
What’s wrong with awkward? If a candidate, at least for a professional position, can’t handle an awkward situation or awkward question then you know something also about them.
If you want to ask a really awkward question that really probes their character and potential as an employee, ask them if they ever cheated in college or high school then see where that conversation goes.