One secret to conducting an interview is to be prepared with good questions. Here are a couple we use in our comprehensive Q&A encounters with candidates:
- Which of the following words will be the single most important determinant of success at the end of the day? We are not interested in theory:
– People
– Vision
– Strategy
– ExecutionIdeally, the answer we prefer to hear is execution. I am always surprised how many people pick vision and then people, or vice versa. I have seen more than a few good leaders fail, not because they had a bad team or crummy strategy, but because they failed to execute. Yes, your people are your most important asset but you have to execute to succeed. - What are you passionate about?Simple enough but oh so important. The demands on healthcare executives and managers will intensify over the next three years. Success will come to those organizations who have built strong teams that are passionate about their work and successfully execute on the mission. People who are just punching a clock, or, another popular phrase, “Dialing it in,” will be liabilities that healthcare organizations cannot afford.
“People who are not passionate about what they are doing become more ordinary every day.” That from Wes Moore, John Hopkins graduate, Rhodes Scholar, White House Fellow and war veteran. His new book is The Work : My Search for A Life that Matters.
There is a popular phrase in business and sports: Go big, or go home. My twist on the phrase is be passionate about what you are doing or find something else to do with your life.
You don’t get any mulligans with your life, so why waste time.