q1-1
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
GENEROSITY and ENTHUSIASM, in taking time to help people achieve success together
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware
Ambition and advancement or motivations about holding position of (direct or indirect) power Answers that focus on being the boss vs doing the things that bosses do. Excessive focus on “individual contributor” type responsibilities.
According to Gallup, companies get manager selection wrong >80% of the time, and the primary vector for this is giving the manager job to the highest performing individual contributor
q1-2
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
GENEROSITY and ENTHUSIASM, in taking time to help people achieve success together
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for
Answers indicating self advancement/ access to information Achievements through the individual efforts Answer lacking team value add, growth and development and genuine interest to help people grow q1-3
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
GENEROSITY and ENTHUSIASM, in taking time to help people achieve success together
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes:
Examples that allude to a sense of fulfillment in helping people learn and grow Enabling success of the team to deliver results q1-4
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
GENEROSITY and ENTHUSIASM, in taking time to help people achieve success together
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
Being responsible for a group of people achieving more together than they otherwise could Loves to grow and develop people and backed up by real examples Multiplier - Believes that more can be achieved with a team than individuals. q2-1
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
TRUST in your team to listen to your ideas and act on them, ability to use this information to collaboratively negotiate and communicate a shared VISION. Results articulated should be legitimately astonishing and BIG
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware
Of “manager as the hero” syndrome - A great manager (A Multiplier) genuinely believes that the biggest potential and biggest contributions come from his her team members Of a manager who thinks the mundane is astonishing and in this case, leading to ordinary results and not outstanding results. q2-2
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
TRUST in your team to listen to your ideas and act on them, ability to use this information to collaboratively negotiate and communicate a shared VISION. Results articulated should be legitimately astonishing and BIG
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for
Answers that include a lack of delegation or empowerment to the team. Or the manager shouldering most of the work leading to an outcome. Results are average or not really impactful Rambling/ generalized answer for example: We always achieve results! q2-3
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
TRUST in your team to listen to your ideas and act on them, ability to use this information to collaboratively negotiate and communicate a shared VISION. Results articulated should be legitimately astonishing and BIG
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes:
A clear indication of astonishing results. (Listen carefully to verify if these are indeed astonishing results ...or are they just results?) Comparing how they improved a previously underperforming area How they motivated the team to work together against the odd and cares for team as humans q2-4
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
TRUST in your team to listen to your ideas and act on them, ability to use this information to collaboratively negotiate and communicate a shared VISION. Results articulated should be legitimately astonishing and BIG
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
Ability to show vulnerability and the learnings Examples provided give additional context why the situation was particularly challenging and what made it astonishing Outlines specific actions the candidate took as a manager or the environment the manager created that enabled those results q3-1
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
Being able to embrace everyone in your team with unqualified ACCEPTANCE and EMPATHY and the COURAGE to challenge them and give them the feedback, training and resources to be successful. Exceeds standard only if they mention Time. Help. Success (UCP-PAW from the book)
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware:
Mostly, you should not accept anything less than clear and compelling evidence that this person truly believes that these are humans and not resources. Other common personal methods might include (but are less universal and less leveraged): Regularly checked in on mental well-being of team members and engaged in their lives outside the office, when permitted q3-2
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
Being able to embrace everyone in your team with unqualified ACCEPTANCE and EMPATHY and the COURAGE to challenge them and give them the feedback, training and resources to be successful. Exceeds standard only if they mention Time. Help. Success (UCP-PAW from the book)
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for
Answers focused purely on tasks. Indicates lack of trust and micromanagement. Doesn't spend time understanding each team member personally and what they find challenging and motivating. Isn't able to engage in conversations that would solicit open feedback upwards (not just downwards). q3-3
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
Being able to embrace everyone in your team with unqualified ACCEPTANCE and EMPATHY and the COURAGE to challenge them and give them the feedback, training and resources to be successful. Exceeds standard only if they mention Time. Help. Success (UCP-PAW from the book)
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes:
Manager candidate understands that there is almost nothing higher on their job description than to enable the success of the people on my teams Shares how they built trust and listened to what drives every individual on the team. Team culture of openness and trust. Coaching and feedback that is helpful in nature, both criticism and praise q3-4
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
Being able to embrace everyone in your team with unqualified ACCEPTANCE and EMPATHY and the COURAGE to challenge them and give them the feedback, training and resources to be successful. Exceeds standard only if they mention Time. Help. Success (UCP-PAW from the book)
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
Reference to the two major kinds of success. 1) Success vs organizational standard - ie success relative to OKRs, KPIs, and explicit behavioral standards. 2) Success vs employee’s own conception of their future success - enabling long-term achievements/dreams Indicators the the manager candidate invested their time to be fully present, held weekly/regular 1:1s, AND prioritized time with his/her directs over visibility time/time with his/her boss Evidence that manager's coaching and feedback (criticism & praise) positively contributed to employees long term development and achieving business outcomes. q4-1
Please focus on duties / responsibilities and not attributes (like empathy or good listener). And obviously, you don't have to actually write it and you can take a moment to think about this. We’re just looking for a structured and thoughtful approach and are using this question more to inspire a conversation.
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware:
Struggles to come up with a clear succinct answer. Answers are caught up in tasks of the job and not based on Company vision and teams success and growth. q4-2
Please focus on duties / responsibilities and not attributes (like empathy or good listener). And obviously, you don't have to actually write it and you can take a moment to think about this. We’re just looking for a structured and thoughtful approach and are using this question more to inspire a conversation.
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for:
Answers that address either the team or the company's goal and not both. Answers are focused on the attributes in the ideal profile like collaboration, attention to detail, stakeholder management q4-3
Please focus on duties / responsibilities and not attributes (like empathy or good listener). And obviously, you don't have to actually write it and you can take a moment to think about this. We’re just looking for a structured and thoughtful approach and are using this question more to inspire a conversation.
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes:
Recognizes the joint accomplishment/ win-win for organization AND team q4-4
Please focus on duties / responsibilities and not attributes (like empathy or good listener). And obviously, you don't have to actually write it and you can take a moment to think about this. We’re just looking for a structured and thoughtful approach and are using this question more to inspire a conversation.
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
Deliver an aligned result for the company Enable the success of the people on my teams Grow and develop the people under my charge q5-1
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
SELF-AWARENESS - to understand what their strengths/weaknesses are, and the COURAGE to accept it, act on it and be vulnerable to share it with you as an interviewer
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware:
Citing BS backhanded strengths like ‘perfectionism’, vague answers Evidence that they didn't ask anyone but they're making it up on the spot. Unwilling to tell you what the situation was. q5-2
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
SELF-AWARENESS - to understand what their strengths/weaknesses are, and the COURAGE to accept it, act on it and be vulnerable to share it with you as an interviewer
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for:
If this is perceived feedback. Perceived feedback would indicate a passive approach to feedback. If the answers chosen are attributes but the candidate struggles to share specifics or an example, or they are fluffy generalizations. q5-3
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
SELF-AWARENESS - to understand what their strengths/weaknesses are, and the COURAGE to accept it, act on it and be vulnerable to share it with you as an interviewer
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes;
Openness, self-awareness and lack of defensiveness in describing how behaviors impacted the team. Thinks about how their actions and behaviors impact team, give specific examples that show that feedback is from dialogue with team Acting on the feedback. Either to practice the positive leadership qualities more often or steps taken to change behaviors. q5-4
The leadership disciplines you should look for are:
SELF-AWARENESS - to understand what their strengths/weaknesses are, and the COURAGE to accept it, act on it and be vulnerable to share it with you as an interviewer
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
Genuine transparency about own development areas and evidence development actions that build on strengths and close gaps in weaker areas Willingness to build diverse teams that complement the manager’s own strengths (vs mirroring them by hiring more ‘people like me’). Evidence that the manager candidate is less guessing about what people would say and citing evidence of things his/her people have actually said. q6-1
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware:
Proud of massive volume of stuff with little sense of what’s leveraged or critical, unable to be specific around helping people develop a small number of powerful impactful priorities. Equivocation (Vague response) around prioritization - answer that explicitly says “prioritization is important” but implicitly demonstrates the candidate values volume of work. Shows frustration for the person's inability to prioritize themselves. q6-2
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for:
Doesn't teach or understand why prioritization is important. Gives vague direction. Prioritizes at team level but doesn't customize to the individual level. Doesn't seem like they know or care about the impact of measuring progress. "People don't mind hardship or challenges but they do mind feeling unnecessary" q6-3
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes:
Empowers prioritization by focusing on impact. It's ok to say 'no' to activities that are not going to make a meaningful impact on OKRs and Company Big Bets. Clarity that teaching prioritization should be regular and active practice, not passive and infrequent; incorporate this into the team's operating rhythm (Stands ups, Daily Roundup,1:1s, Snippets). Communicates a consistent “re-focusing” of effort - daily/weekly - within the context of persistent goals (ie OKRs). Great managers understand they are always in the process of helping their team focus on what is most important to deliver aligned results. q6-4
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
“Prioritization is an exercise in subtraction not addition”. Talks explicitly about *removing* things from people’s plates in order to ensure they are focused on most impactful activities Use this frame as manager candidate answers: “If you have more than 3 priorities, you have none. Willingness to collaboratively create prioritization solutions that meet the individual’s unique challenges. Creates a culture of candor and psychological safety. Everyone feels empowered to ask their manager and peers for help and is willing to help the team win. q7-1
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware:
Cannot think of an example Conveys frustration or dismisses feedback received. Demonstrates lack of self-awareness and inability to take criticism q7-2
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for:
Struggles to think of an example but does so with prompts or clarifications. Shows discomfort or defensiveness in answering the question. Any response misses the key point that we expect managers to be open to the feedback (Self-awareness & acceptance). q7-3
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes:
They respond well to others giving them feedback about their performance or leadership. They value it. Showed ability to tell the interviewer the specific feedback (Integrity, vulnerability, authenticity) and what actions they took in response to feedback (personal development, process improvement or clarifications). Curiosity and respect for the perspectives of others irrespective of their role or seniority. "Ensures every voice is heard". q7-4
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
Genuine eagerness and commitment to engage with even the most challenging of feedback. Empathy, humility and patience to work in an open and inclusive way. Safeguards trust and collaboration. Multiple examples of how they have developed action plans from feedback and outlines positive outcomes achieved. q8-1
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware:
Avoidance or unwillingness to take any action to address the performance issue. Didn't provide direct, timely feedback to employees about performance gaps. Sees performance improvement plans as just a mechanism to manage someone out of the organization rather than a way to help a person turnaround performance with structured expectations and support. q8-2
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for:
Example shared indicates reactive approach based on other's direction or procrastination in taking action. Lacks self-awareness in admitting procrastination. Didn't actively engage in helping the person improve or seek to identify the root cause of performance issues. Priority was to move the person to another group within the company without assessing and addressing performance issues first. q8-3
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes:
Open about how challenging it can be to take action, but knows it has to be done. Has empathy for the person. Knows it's more helpful to give feedback with clarity ASAP and direct their energy and skills to helping the person improve and thrive. Able to maintain a positive and collaborative relationship while going through this tough process. q8-4
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
Able to provide evidence that they’ve actually done it! An understanding that it is a gut-wrenching process - ie “worst days of my management career have been the days I had to let people go” Communicates a “fair” approach - a clear communication of performance gap, a reasonable amount of time to give them a chance to improve, and then decisive action An understanding that the best situation for the company and for the other team members is to always have the best people possible in each seat, and that managing folks out, while difficult and sad, helps achieve that objective Communicates a mistake! Most often “I waited too long…” or communicates perhaps a hiring mistake. Takes guts to openly own a mistake in an interview and suggests a strong sense of intrinsic accountability q9-1
1 - Significantly weak answer
Raises flags and concerns
Beware:
A long list of things the manager candidate is willing to prioritize over time with their directs. Explains it's a common occurrence and inevitable. Focus in on their time and commitments rather than the impact on the other person q9-2
2 - Weak answer
Might not necessarily raise any flags/concerns but is not up to our standards
Look out for:
Outlines that 1:1s are important time for direct reports but doesn't convey much concern about rescheduling. Explains the employee can cancel but they don't take any action to ensure the meeting actually happens. Overlooks that this time is 'owned' by their direct reports and important for their growth & development. q9-3
3 - Meets standard
A good answer includes:
Aware that 1:1 times are important and the employee owns the agenda. Default focus in on the other person and it's their needs driving the reschedule. Has real discomfort and avoids cancelling at all costs. If reschedule can't be avoided, acknowledges it would need to be of utmost criticality and importance e.g. personal issue for employee or manager, critical customer escalation or to support the same employee on another issue. q9-4
4 - Exceeds standard
A great answer includes:
Shows a deep understanding of how their role as a manager is to support the person on their team and is responsive to employee driven needs to be flexible on timing of 1:1s. Aware of the personal impact rescheduling 1:1s can have to signal that the person is not high on the manager's priorities. Is generous to invest their time to connect with the other person, understand their core values, motivations and what they need to be successful. 
Rubric