If either cop offers you a cup of coffee or something else to drink, take a lesson from your favorite cop TV show, and wait until after the interrogation. Concentrate on answering their questions and getting a call back interview, instead of worrying about whether they have light cream in the company mini fridge.
161a.
Good Cop Q: Please give me an example of when you were highly assertive, and the outcome was favorable.A.
I used to work in a hierarchical firm with a company flow chart that looked like a family tree.There were scores of underlings slaving away at the bottom, a smaller group of middle managers overseeing them, and a miniscule group at the top who would supervise the middle managers. Then one day, a huge chunk of business left the company, and 30 percent of the staff was cut, from all levels of the organization.
I was “kicked upstairs” into top management. There were four other people at the top whose jobs had also been spared. To their astonishment, I told them that we had to change the way that we did business. I said that we were still acting like a huge company, which we weren’t any longer. And that if we didn’t find a smarter way to get things done, our company would soon become as extinct as the Brontosaurus. I advocated empowering everyone on staff to make decisions for themselves.
Change is never easy, But over a few very vocal objections and a lot of hemming and hawing, I lead the reorganization. Two years later, our company picked up $20 million of new revenues in the first quarter.
161b.
Bad Cop Q: What about a time when being assertive lead to an unfavorable outcome?A.
I felt that one of the four top executives did very little work for the immense salary that he was being paid. I chose not to say anything about it until the CEO solicited my opinion about the guy.Then, in strong, assertive language, I suggested that there was a talented woman on staff who could fill his shoes at half of his salary. The CEO heard me out, but ultimately decided that the top manager should stay.
Fortunately, our CEO did not expect everyone to agree with him all of the time. He gave me a huge bonus that year and told me that he really liked me because I “kept him honest.”
If someone asks you to describe an “unfavorable outcome” try to discuss a situation that did not impact you unfavorably. Do yourself a favor, and never “unsell” yourself in an interview.
162a.
Good Cop Q: Can you tell me when you anticipated a problem, and developed preventative measures?A.
I was brought in from the outside to oversee a staff of twenty. After a few weeks, it became evident that there was an entrenched “old guard” at the company, and that several of the members were seething with resentment that they hadn’t been promoted to my position. I felt that if I didn’t do something to contain their antagonism, I might lose my job.I called a general staff meeting where I announced that I would be taking a “diagnostic” of the company, and urged every single person to arrange an appointment to see me privately. When members of the old guard would stop by my office, I found out that they felt betrayed by years of promises from the company that hadn’t been fulfilled.
I worked out goals and action plans with six people, promising that if they stepped up to the plate, I would help them make the case for their long-overdue raises. They followed through, and so did I.
These men liked the fact that I was willing to stand up for them, and I managed to turn these would-be enemies into allies.
162b.
Bad Cop Q: Can you tell me when you failed to see a problem that was right under your nose?A.
At my last company, there were weekly memos about keeping our clients’ confidentiality.“Don’t talk to anyone about new business in the elevators,” these memos warned. “Don’t talk to anyone about your clients in a restaurant.” I felt that these constant reminders were somewhat remedial. After all, any executive worth her salt should know that you can’t talk about company business in a public place! After I had received a ton of these memos, I finally asked my boss about them. “There’s a leak,” she told me. “Somehow, our biggest competitor is getting the inside track on our new business initiatives. They’re continually scooping the business right out from under us.”
It turned out that one of my closest colleagues was dating someone who worked at the rival company. It took me months to put it together, because she seemed so above-board. But one night, when I was out to dinner with her and her boyfriend, I actually heard her tell him about a new, highly confidential project!
I reported her lapse to my boss, begging her to keep everything I said confidential. My amazing boss respected my wishes and managed to plug the leak without firing the woman, or telling her what I had said.
Why This Technique Works
1. In the first example, you single-handedly stopped an interoffice revolution by negotiating raises for an angry, disheartened, vengeful mob.
2. In the second example, you not only found the leak, you exposed it, helped plug it up, and negotiated your own protection from any reprisals.