“Mr. President … you were asked … after the invasion of Iraq if you had checked with your dad. And I believe you said you had checked with a higher authority,” Schieffer said. “What part does your faith play on your policy decisions?”
Schieffer knew Bush often invoked his religious faith and that faith was an important part of life for millions of Americans. It was also part of Bush’s personal narrative of redemption. Schieffer also knew the stories suggesting that Bush went to war in Iraq to settle an old score for his father, who cast a daunting shadow over the Bush boys. Schieffer touched three live wires—faith, family, and war—and stepped back to see what would happen.
Bush didn’t give away the store, but his answer provided some texture and insight into how he thought and how his faith sustained him. Yes, he said, faith played a “big part” in his life, and he prayed a lot:
“I pray for wisdom. I pray for our troops in harm’s way. I pray for my family. I pray for my little girls. But I’m mindful in a free society that people can worship if they want to or not. You’re equally an American if you choose to worship an Almighty and if you choose not to. If you’re a Christian, Jew, or Muslim you’re equally an American. The great thing about America is the right to worship the way you see fit.”
He didn’t duck the question.
“Prayer and religion sustain me,” Bush said. “I receive calmness in the storms of the presidency … I never want to impose my religion on anybody else. But when I make decisions I stand on principle. And the principles are derived from who I am.”
Schieffer could have pressed harder. He could have followed up. But whatever a viewer thought of Bush or religion and prayer, Schieffer’s question offered Bush an opportunity to talk about an important aspect of his life. I don’t recommend asking a question about faith in a job interview unless you want your friends in HR all over you. But in presidential politics all is fair game, and Schieffer’s question brought together the personal, the professional, and the provocative to ask about philosophy and motivation.
History will determine George W. Bush’s stature among presidents. The public will decide whether it hired the right man at the right time. But in that moment, in front of a search committee of more than 50 million viewers, whether they liked the response or not, the public got a sense of Bush’s attitude toward faith and how he explained its role in his decision making. It wasn’t ground-breaking but it provided texture, and in the context of the presidential job interview, texture adds interest and insight.
If you want to know what drives your candidate, you can fashion a question that explores similarly complex terrain. Connect a decision to principles and values. Ask in a curious but matter-of-fact way. Know why you’re asking, and what you’re listening for.
Asking for the Team
Active listening drives good job interviews. It focuses in on compatibility markers such as complementary experience, shared interests, interpersonal skills, integrity, work ethic and a sense of professional mission. Experienced job interviewers listen for experience that corresponds to the job. They listen for insight into personality traits—energy, creativity, imagination, humor, risk tolerance—that align with the culture of the place.
For Jim Davis, CEO of New Balance, much revolves around teamwork. Jim has been an athlete all his life and is a naturally competitive guy. When he bought New Balance in 1972, it employed six people and was making thirty pairs of shoes a day. When we spoke, New Balance employed more than 6,000 people worldwide and was a $4 billion enterprise doing business in 140 countries. It still made its shoes in America.
Jim told me that he was always more of a listener than a talker. He shunned the spotlight. But he knew what he wanted and where he was going. Focused and confident, he explained that he built his business over the years by assembling a team he trusts. He believes that “the team” is a company’s most important asset, and he approaches his recruiting like the general manager of a major league franchise. He looks for exceptional talent but thinks about where and how he needs it and the effect it will have on the overall effort. He asks candidates directly how they function in a team environment.
How have you applied that approach?
How have you worked within a group to solve problems?
If a candidate shows too much ego or doesn’t sound like a team player, Jim told me, “We pass.” He listens intently for pronouns. He wants to hear “we,” not “I.” It is an indicator, he’s discovered over the years, of an approach as well as an attitude. “You can’t do things yourself,” he explained to me. “You can’t do anything sustainable yourself.”
Jim raised an important point in his pronoun patrol. The distinction between “I” and “we” is real. Individual initiative and accomplishment are important. They represent a track record and help answer the what-will-you-do-for-us question. But “we” sends a powerful signal, too, showing awareness of the team and a willingness to share the glory. It conveys inclusiveness, concern, and respect for the group and a generosity of spirit that can inspire others. Who wouldn’t want a person like that on the team?
Interview the Interviewer
When I interview job applicants, I learn a lot about them from the questions they ask of me. Some of the most important questions in a job interview come from that other side of the table. Curiosity and compatibility are mutual. These questions reveal whether a candidate has done his homework, how deep down he has drilled, and what his priorities and interests are. If a candidate starts with questions about pay, benefits, or vacation, he conveys a lack of interest in the job itself. Shelly Storbeck, the executive headhunter, told me that the most effective candidate questions reflect a sophisticated curiosity and passion for the job.
What are your traditions and what is sacred?
What will be the hardest things to change?
Cindy Holland, head of content acquisition at Netflix, helped revolutionize the way the world consumes media. She’s responsible for shows that millions of people around the world binge-watch—shows like Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards, and Narcos. Holland was profiled in the New York Times Corner Office column for her accomplishments and management style. Always looking for independent, creative thinkers—the kind of people who will help Netflix find the next big hit—Holland sometimes starts by turning the tables in the opening scene, starting with:
What questions do you have for me?
Holland told the Times she wants to know that job candidates have done their homework, have passion, and are curious. “I want to know what they’re interested in and where they come from and what they’re seeking to do.” She listens closely and judges quickly: “Some people respond well to that first question and some people are so thrown that they say they don’t have any questions. It doesn’t disqualify them automatically, but it definitely tells me something about them.”
Jean Case believes that candidates demonstrate confidence and courage in the questions they ask. She told me about one candidate who pushed so hard and asked so many insistent questions about the Case Foundation that it made her uncomfortable. “She was challenging me,” said Case. “There was one part of me that hated it and another part of me that said, ‘Oh, she is so right for this organization.’”
Do you know when you have impact?
How are you sure?
What’s the discipline you use to know the value of what you’ve done?