What excites you about this position? Purpose: This question reveals the candidate's motivations and whether their passion aligns with the role and your organization. Red Flags: A lack of enthusiasm or generic answers that could apply to any job may indicate a candidate who hasn't done their homework or lacks genuine interest.
What do you think sets (insert company name) out as a successful healthcare organization as compared to our industry? Purpose: Assess the candidate's understanding of your organization's unique strengths and their ability to differentiate it from competitors. Red Flags: Superficial knowledge of your organization or industry may indicate a lack of research or genuine interest.
Can you tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision in your current role to someone you did not directly supervise?
Purpose: Evaluate the candidate's decision-making skills, interpersonal effectiveness, and ability to handle complex situations. Red Flags: Inability to provide a specific example or poor communication skills when explaining the decision-making process may raise concerns.
How do you balance the needs of stakeholders when making a decision? Purpose: Gauge the candidate's ability to consider and manage diverse perspectives when making decisions. Red Flags: Overemphasizing one stakeholder's needs over others or being unable to demonstrate a balanced approach could indicate potential bias.
Can you tell me about a time when you managed conflict between two stakeholders on your current team? Purpose: Assess the candidate's conflict resolution skills and their capacity to maintain positive working relationships. Red Flags: Inability to manage conflict effectively, taking sides, or escalating conflicts may raise concerns about their leadership abilities.
How do you motivate and inspire leaders who don’t directly report to you? Purpose: Examine the candidate's ability to influence
and inspire a team beyond their direct authority. Red Flags: Lack of strategies to motivate or inspire others, or inability to adapt leadership tactics, may suggest limited influence.
What inspires you as a leader? Purpose: Gain insight into the candidate's values, leadership philosophy, and sources of motivation. Red Flags: Being unable to articulate a clear source of inspiration or having values that conflict with your organization's may be concerning.
What feedback do
you have for your leader that would help make them a better leader? (wait for response) Have you given that feedback yet? Purpose: Evaluate the candidate's ability to provide constructive feedback and their approach to communication. Red Flags: Being hesitant to share feedback or avoiding direct communication with leaders may indicate an inability to address concerns effectively.
How has your leadership style changed over the past year? Purpose: Assess the candidate's adaptability and capacity for self-awareness and growth. Red Flags: Failing to identify any changes in leadership style or inability to provide specific
examples may suggest a lack of self-reflection.
Fast forward six months from now. What does success in this role look like through your eyes? Purpose: Understand the candidate's vision for success and their alignment with your organization's goals. Red Flags: Vague or unrealistic expectations of success that don't align with the role's responsibilities or your organization's objectives may be concerning.
How have you impacted resident satisfaction and employee engagement?
Purpose: Evaluate the candidate's track record in driving positive resident and employee experiences. Red Flags: Inability to provide concrete examples of improving satisfaction or engagement, or lack of focus on these aspects, may raise concerns.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in your current role? Purpose: Assess the candidate's achievements and their level of pride in their contributions. Red Flags: Difficulty identifying a significant accomplishment or lack of enthusiasm about their achievements may indicate a lack of impact.
If you were hiring for this role, what qualities would you be looking for? Purpose: Gain insights into the candidate's understanding of the role and alignment with your organization's expectations. Red Flags: Mentioning qualities that don't align with the role's requirements or failing to emphasize critical leadership attributes may raise concerns.
What does the bench strength for your current role look like at your community? How have you influenced and developed that bench strength? Purpose: Evaluate the candidate's talent development
and succession planning strategies. Red Flags: Inability to provide details about bench strength, lack of involvement in development efforts, or neglecting to prioritize talent growth may be concerning.
