Google lists 51,100 results on the phrase "Fake it till you make it". It appears to us that this is a little-talked-about, but key strategy employed by both executives and managers entering new positions. You can understand why it happens...who wants to ask their new hiring executive what results they're expected to deliver? Aren't you already supposed to know that ... intuitively, I guess, since you were cool enough to get hired? Aren't you expected to 'hit the ground running'? Asking where the bathroom is, is a safer and sometimes less embarrassing question.
An inordinate amount of time (during the interview process) is spent on past accomplishments and the assessment of 'fit'. we're not saying this isn't important ... it is, but far too little time is spent on desired results and time-lines. The 'could you'; 'would you'; and 'how would you' is pretty important stuff. Too often the desired results aren't even known...or if they're 'known' might not agreed upon by the senior team, the board, or the investors. This fuzziness can greatly inhibit the success of both the executive and the company.
The bottom line is that everyone wants to be successful at their job. To have the best shot at that, you need as much information as you can get, as early as you can get it. If the search firm that represents you can't give you the information you need to be successful, break through your reluctance to ask the team that interviews you hard questions. We suggest some of the following questions. Know that timing is everything and wait till it's both appropriate and meaningful to ask.
1) What are the three most critical results that this role should produce in the first year? 2) What are your expectations in the first 90 days? 3) What's the most important advice you could give me to be successful in this role? 4) What's the one thing that would kill my chances for success?
Collecting and acting on the information you'll receive from those four questions could go a long way to giving you the traction you need in that critical first year.
Sue Wyman, Partner, JivaroCXO
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