A sureshot way to crack that interview…

So, you have that sardonic smile on your face and an expression that says, “Ahan! Here comes another one of those articles that promise interview success. Dream on, kiddo!”

 

But really, there are numerous ways in which you can stride into the interview room, brimming with confidence and ready to take on whatever bouncers the panel throws your way. Yes, some indicators of your potential such as past academic record, work experience, and past achievements cannot be changed in retrospect. But, if you play your cards right, you can still cover the chinks in your armour and present a positive image. Nestle seems to feel that an interview is all about the 5C’s:

• Confidence – It is said that, “Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” So yes, you can be asked more than you know, in greater depth than you ever anticipated. But, a courteous admission of your not knowing the answer is better than trying to lead the interviewer astray. Be poised and calm and just say, “I’m not aware of the answer.”
• Courage – In case you are asked a question that is not rote-based, and needs some level of critical thinking, don’t hesitate to think out of the box. Be creative and original, and defend your ideas strongly. (Of course, the catch is to not appear stubborn and closed to ideas.)
• Composure – There are interviewers who could try to psyche you out with tough questions, or just by taking an aggressive and attacking stance to interviewing. Don’t let them get under your skin. Maintain a slight smile, and have positive body language. Don’t appear defensive or too protective of your ideas.
• Competence – Your CV got you this far. But, how does one know how far you will go in the future? How does one judge your potential with a fair degree of accuracy in just 15 minutes? Make sure that you use your opportunities well. Be descriptive when asked to answer behavioural questions like ‘strengths and weaknesses’, ‘biggest successes/failures’, and ‘describing yourself’.
• Conscience – This is certainly important. ALWAYS take the moral high ground, and show that you have a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong. You might be cross-questioned a lot on this, but be prepared to field any questions with appropriate rationale.

The best part about these 5C’s is that they are not only useful in landing you your first success, by clearing your interview but also in taking you further and further along the road to success in your career. Executives at Nestle are taught the importance of 5C early on in their careers, and vouch for the success of the principles of the model.

 

Hopefully, you’ll find it useful too. All the best!

Engaging your employees

Every organization wants to excel in its specific domain and be a world leader. To this end, senior leaders burn midnight oil and pots of money, and try to reach the holy grail of realizing their corporate mission. But, despite hiring the best employees, employing the latest technology, and adopting the best practices across the industry, not every organization makes it big.

 

Why? One may ask. Well, if you bought all the parts to make a sports car, assembled them together, painted it bright red, and hoped it would win the next Formula I Championship, you would be justified in thinking so. But, what if your state-of-the-art engine is not delivering full power?

 

Jim Haudan, in his book, “The Art of Engagement” aptly describes employees as “true engines of business”. He reiterates the point that unless employees give their buy-in, even the most brilliant of business strategies will fail.

 

Obviously, the next question is – what prevents employees from engaging with their jobs? Why do companies that are leaders in HR practices, and even good paymasters at a loss on this front? There are various reasons that can be ascribed to this:

1. Information overload – Employees typically hate being carpet-bombed with communication pertaining to strategies, plans and processes. Beyond a point, they may even automate the process of sending all these files to the ‘Junk’ folder.

2. Incomprehensibility – If someone were to send you a technical paper on mitochondrial synapses that affect ATP/ADP breakdown in humans, you would not be particularly enthusiastic (unless of course, you have an interest in molecular biology). So, you can well imagine the plight of an employee to whom your structures and frameworks are nothing but ‘rocket science’.

3. Fear factor – Unless an organization creates an environment that promises to support sharing of ideas without fear, employees may just have the mindset of finishing their allocated tasks and moving on without participating in any value-adding suggestions.

4. Big picture – Working on small, allocated tasks without understanding the deeper significance might make their jobs sound meaningless and unengaging.

5. Ownership – Rather than dumping the strategy on their heads and asking them to work towards it, a better idea would be to treat them as shareholders and consider their say before implementation.

6. Integration – If the organization’s planning, organizing and controlling arms are working in silos, with little or no interaction, it is unlikely that their strategy will ever yield results.

 

All these factors are fairly simple to fix, but can have far-reaching negative consequences if left untreated. To make the most of their human capital, organizations must:

1. create line of sight – You cannot allocate a portion of the field to each football player in a team with crisp, clear instructions about what to do in various situations. Everyone must know the broader goals, and be able to contribute towards them.

2. connect goals – A football team’s objective would be to win the match. If a player who plays in defence runs ahead, wanting to score a goal instead of preventing the opposition from scoring, it could lead to a disaster. Hence, it is important to ensure that individual goals and organizational goals are in sync.

3. develop capability – If a defender does have the ambition to move up ahead and be a goal-scorer and the team needs goal-scorers, it may be a good idea to equip the defender with the necessary skills to do so. Better opportunities must be promised by the organization.

 

It is of course, one thing to applaud a game as a spectator and a totally different one to be out there, helping the team win. As a team manager, ensuring that you have a set of charged, motivated people, ready to go out there and win is your responsibility. Take it!