Asking the Right Questions

Healthcare Management Ethics

Asking the Right encountered and how you dealt with them? As you reflect on your work Questions experience to date, what has made you angry in the past? How did you address these issues? By answering unexpected questions, candidates disclose unanticipated insights. Some Atypical Questions Posed Paul B. Hofmann, by Company CEOs DrPH, FACHE The executives interviewed by Bryant offer several provocative questions. For example, Mike Tuchen, CEO, Regular readers of the Sunday edi- Important but less frequently asked Talend, a software vendor, asks, tion of The New York Times are questions can provide insight into a “What’s the hardest problem you’ve likely familiar with the column candidate’s ethical values and sensi- ever solved; why was it hard?” “The Corner Office,” written by tivities. These questions will help Adam Bryant, who asks notable determine whether the candidate’s Drew Houston, CEO, Dropbox, CEOs a series of similar questions. moral compass will be compatible wants to know, “What have you The queries frequently include, with an organization’s culture and learned in the last year? And if you “What were your early years like?” the senior management staff. were able to sit yourself down 10 “Any leadership roles for you early years ago, what advice would you on?” “What are some things you’ve give your younger self?” learned about leading and manag- Every healthcare manager ing people?” and “What kind of and executive knows that Kathy Giusti, founder, Multiple career advice do you give to new Myeloma Foundation, asks, “What college grads?” employing the best and the do you want me to know about you brightest and then giving that’s not on this résumé?” Over the years, the most intriguing answers for me have been those in them the opportunity and Jessica Herrin, founder and CEO, response to the duel questions “How freedom to excel are Stella and Dot Family Brands, asks, do you hire?” and “What questions “What do you want to be known for; do you ask?” undeniable keys to one’s what mark do you want to leave?” A own success as a leader. favorite question is, “Tell me the Supplementing Standard things that you didn’t like about your Questions With last job.” She added, “When you Unpredictable Ones Insights can be acquired by raising a learn the situations and issues that Every ACHE member has been a variety of topics. For instance, what lead to candidates’ dissatisfaction, candidate for a number of positions do you like most/least in your current you can make a relatively accurate and has no doubt prepared for pre- position? Give me examples of two judgment about whether they will be dictable interview questions, such or three management mistakes you able to work in your culture.” as: What are your most significant have made, and share what you strengths? What are your major learned from them. How many peo- Herrin emphasized, “You want to weaknesses? How would you ple have you discharged in the past employ optimistic people who are describe your leadership style? three years, and in retrospect, did problem solvers, not problem spot- What is most important to you you take action later than you ters; it’s easy for most leadership in a job? What are your career should have, or perhaps too soon? applicants to analyze what’s wrong, goals? Where would you like to be Please elaborate. Can you describe a but if you come in and say, ‘I have in five years? couple of ethical dilemmas you have an idea; here’s something we can do,’

she has demonstrated an ability to excel? How do you excel? If you People who take themselves too seri- give you energy rather than take find yourself in situations where ously are so boring.” energy from you.” they’re not going the way you want them to, what do you do?” Tim Bucher, CEO, Zing Systems, Lloyd Carney, CEO, Brocade, says, offers this line of questioning: “I always ask about the thing you’re Saundra Pelletier, chief executive, “You’ve done a lot of things in your most proud of and the thing you’re WomanCare Global, always asks, “If life. When you think back on the least proud of, and sometimes it money, time and talent were no time that you were the most excited could be a four-part question, object, and you could be anything at about what you were doing, you because they’ll give something per- all, what would you be? It’s amazing couldn’t wait to get out of bed and sonal and professional for each of what people will say. I ask about you couldn’t shut off at night, what them. I’m listening for whether how they act under pressure: Tell me were you doing and why? What I’m they talk about their accomplish- about a stressful situation and give really looking for is what makes ments with ‘I, I, I,’ or what their me as many details as you’re willing them tick. The worst answer you can team was able to do.” to share. How people behave under give me is, ‘I don’t know.’” real heat tells you a lot about charac- Lori Dickerson Fouché, CEO, ter. I want to know how they’re Perhaps the most intriguing responses Prudential Group Insurance, wants going to fit in our culture. Humility, were shared by Stewart Butterfield, to know, “What kind of cultures do humor and not taking yourself too cofounder and chief executive, you like to work in? Where do you seriously are important to me. Slack, a communications company.

50 Healthcare Executive SEPT/OCT 2017 Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. He says, “I used to always ask three very short answer to that question leaders understand that fact, taking short questions—one math, one would be automatically bad.” the time to hire well is an obvious geography and one history. I didn’t necessity. As in other fields, every expect people to get the answers Asking Productive Interview healthcare manager and executive right, but I just want them to be curi- Questions knows that employing the best and ous about the world. The first [was] All these questions had the same the brightest and then giving them what’s three times 17? Then name purpose—to determine if these indi- the opportunity and freedom to three countries in Africa. You’d be viduals would be a good organiza- excel are undeniable keys to one’s astonished by the number of people tional fit, if their work ethic would own success as a leader. s who can’t do that. [The third ques- match, and if their skill set and val- tion was] what century was the ues would align with the company’s Paul B. Hofmann, DrPH, FACHE, is French Revolution in, give or take culture. The CEOs knew that their president, Hofmann Healthcare Group, 200 years? I don’t do that anymore, company could not continue to be Moraga, Calif., and co-editor, but I do ask everyone what they want successful if they did not give the Management Mistakes in Healthcare: to be when they grow up. Good highest priority to making prudent Identification, Correction and answers are usually about areas in human capital decisions. Prevention, published by Cambridge which they want to grow, things they University Press, and Managing want to learn, things that they feel like The financial and nonfinancial costs Healthcare Ethically: An Executive’s they haven’t had a chance to accom- of making a poor hiring decision are Guide, published by Health Administration plish yet but want to accomplish. A always higher than expected; once Press ([email protected]).