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If you own a widget factory, what you need in employees is
punctuality, efficiency, and the ability to withstand the boredom of repeatedly
following a set procedure. But you're probably not running a widget factory.
In pretty much any other sort of company, you're going to
need some people who can think on their feet, challenge the status quo, and
call BS when appropriate. In short, you're going to need what Wharton professor
and best-selling author Adam Grantcalls "originals."
"We can't all be nonconformists at every moment, but
conformity is dangerous," Grant says, explaining the value of originals
and iconoclasts in a fascinating and lengthy recent First Round Review article.
"If you don't hire originals, you run the risk of people disagreeing but
not voicing their dissent."
So how do you hire these constructive trailblazers? The
First Round piece offers a deep dive into the subject, laying out subtypes of
originals, exactly why they're so valuable, and wisdom on finding them and
convincing them to join your company. But perhaps one of the most actionable
insights in the article is a list of questions from Grant that bosses can use
to assess the originality quotient of a potential new hire. Here they are.
1. How would you
improve our interview process?
This question is "an opportunity to see if they're
willing to speak up," according to Grant. It's also "a window into
their thinking process," he explains. "When they encounter something
that they don't like, do they have the instinct not only to raise why it may be
broken but also suggest how it can be better?"
2. Tell me about the
last time that you encountered a rule in an organization that you thought made
no sense.
Follow up with: What was the rule? What did you do and what
was the result? "You're not excited about candidates who just let it go.
But you also don't want somebody who says, 'Yeah I saw this rule, marched into
my boss' office, argued and quit over it,'" explains Grant.
Instead, you want to hear something more like this: "I
saw this rule that I thought didn't make sense. I first did some research to
figure out how it was created and why it was this way. I spoke to a couple of
people who'd been at the organization longer than I had, asking if they knew what
it was initially set out to do. If they didn't know, I reached out to some
people who have influence and sought their advice on ways forward to improve
the rule and made a few suggestions on how. I got tasked to lead the committee
to change the rule. We made a change and here's the evidence that we had an
impact."
3. Why shouldn't I
hire you?
"[Former president of Gatorade and Equinox] Sarah Robb
O'Hagan once opened her job application... describing why she shouldn't be
hired. In one breath, she outlined which qualifications she didn't meet, but
also why she was suited to do it anyway," says Grant.
"She challenges the job description and shows that she
can bring something different than what a company thinks it needs. Part of why
this worked is that, in one fell swoop, she shows extreme awareness: not only
of her abilities, but also of the proposed requirements--and why some don't
really matter," he continues.
4. It's your first
few months on the job. What questions would you first ask and to whom?
"This idea came from one of my collaborators, Reb
Rebele, an applied positive psychology expert who leads many of our hiring
projects," Grant explains. "He observed that when new people are
coming in, their first few months should be as much about learning as doing.
Originals distinguish themselves by asking questions that no one else has
thought to ask, and posing them to people who have fresh perspectives to
offer."
What are you listening for in a candidate's answer?
Open-ended questions and "a willingness to draw from and challenge many
sources of information."
Do you have any other suggested questions to add to this
list?
Credit: inc.com/Jessica
Stillman
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