It’s awkward to hear someone giving you a candid, honest response to open-ended questions that misses the mark — over, and over again. Here and there the person gives an answer that sounds good and may remind me of someone I admire. But I’m becoming aware of a mask hiding something.
The charming approach, the caring tone, and the good intentions almost cover up all the vague responses and even a few red flags. Ah, the red flags. What is being sold as “Trust me, I have your best interest in mind” is really something else.
Since I learned how to listen with an artist’s ear, the red flags stand out as a pattern that resists the lull of the charm. Many people have learned how to connect with people to persuade them into passive acceptance rather than seek their opinion. Persuasion is no substitute for partnership.
I AM SO GLAD when I hear things from a job candidate that raise an eyebrow now, before a client offers a job. Better to find this out now and allow this person to take their talents somewhere else, because they’re not a fit here.
Better to hear what the person is likely to do now, and not discover it three to six months from now. That’s awful to go through.
Life is a team sport. How do you unmask the pretenders so you can hire true partners?