Next time, ask the ‘Imi ola question instead
There is this question that most managers have learned to ask. They ask it of the candidates they are interviewing for jobs trying to get to the “will this be a job, role, or career for you?” answer (they should just ask that question).
They also ask it a lot when they are doing annual performance reviews for the people they manage, because the normal (and broken) process is that at the end of the excruciating appraisal on how strengths versus weaknesses play out in performance, they want to then talk about goal-setting for the coming year so they’ll know what to beat you up on next time.
It’s a question that drives people crazy, just like it did for Pete Aldin. His boss asked him,
“What do you want to be doing in five years time?”
Pete says that back then (1997) “I was stumped. The only thing I knew for sure was I didn’t want to be working for him doing what I was doing at that time.”
Pete’s story came out great, however if you read it, you’ll see that was because of Pete and not his boss. Most people are not like Pete (though we’d love them to be!); they don’t use the question as a personal trigger.
In an interview, your candidate is probably thinking, “Oh no, don’t tell me you’re gonna be one of those kinds of bosses.”
Why? Beyond asking the question, most managers have little clue as to why it’s important, and nine times out of ten, they have NO clue how to respond to the answers they get. They stop short, and they are not responsive going forward with a coaching plan within which to help. So the people they ask groan inside, thinking, “oh for goodness sake, what’s the use?”
As you know by now, Managing with Aloha is about me wanting you to be the best boss ever!
So managers, stop asking that question! I've made it red so you start to think of it as a red flag! Ask the ‘Imi ola question instead, and ask about an outcome that will be a win-win for both of you, and for your entire ‘Ohana in Business:
What is the best possible life the work you do here could create for you?
Two reasons:
- You are better off looking for their ho‘ohana versus their dream career (which is usually about their wanting someone else’s life.) Ho‘ohana is the intentional work that has cause and effect; meaningful for them, coachable for you, and worthwhile for everyone, people and business alike.
- THEIR best possible life, is YOUR best possible context for them working with you. Do you prefer managing a happy, whole-life kind of person, or someone sleep-walking through the workday, waking occasionally to watch the clock?
Kind of a no brainer, don’t you think?
Today, Pete Aldin is a terrific coach; it’s his ho‘ohana. Click over to his blog, Great Circle, and read his story about this in these two posts:
Related postings here;
What a great post. I wish everyone would focus on how we can make things better.
Posted by: Priscilla | April 18, 2007 at 03:40 PM
Aloha Priscilla, thank you, and welcome to Managing with Aloha. I visited your blog briefly, and you share some wonderfully encouraging coaching as well! I will spend more time reading your good words soon.
Posted by: Rosa Say | April 18, 2007 at 04:03 PM