A = Ambitious
Managers and supervisors are looking for team members who have the energy and commitment to make progress in their jobs and in their careers. How do you know if you have a candidate who has the ambition to take responsibility for their professional development?
You can start with questions about their learning—how they have done it in the past and how they plan on continuing it in the future. (I covered that in my last post!) Then you can explore how they have demonstrated positive ambition with some additional carefully-worded questions.
Ask questions like these in the interview…
- Where and how do you want to grow and develop in your work and your career?
- What do you want to be doing in 1 year; 2 years; 5 years?
(One of the better answers to that last question is “I want YOUR job!”) And don’t be afraid to ask them to give examples of their history of learning, professional development, and advancement in their jobs or career. Find out how they have exercised ambition in the past—taking on greater responsibilities in a current job; going for promotions; getting certifications; attending training sessions; taking courses in school; recruiting a mentor or sponsor; taking advantage of organizational programs.
Ask direct questions that explore these examples of ambition!
HERE’S THE TRUTH: Every team benefits from members who want to get better and get ahead!
— Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis
In an earlier post I told you about Tony Knight’s creative approach to encourage and support the ambitions of his team members. You can access it here: Great Advice from Top CEO’s – #22 | The Boss Doctor
Tony understood how ambition fuels greater ownership of a job; higher productivity; and increased morale at work. You can use his ideas to do the same with YOUR team!
And while we’re on the subject, what about YOU???? What is YOUR plan for your own professional development and career advancement? Your team will benefit from having a leader who will be a positive role model for learning, growth, and advancement!
— Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis
If you; your organization; or your leaders need help developing effective hiring skills, CALL US! We can help! We can provide high-energy training that will equip your managers and supervisors with the skills they need to find the right people for their teams.
In the meantime, stay tuned to this blog for more techniques that you can use to find and hire the right people!
And follow this blog for your OWN professional development and career advancement! This blog is one of my favorite media for sharing my many years of experience, training THOUSANDS of leaders just like YOU—equipping them for greater effectiveness in their leadership, management, and executive roles. AND YOU CAN ACCESS IT FOR FREE, WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
Lucky you!
Until next time… Yours for better leaders and better organizations,
Dr. Jim Dyke – “The Boss Doctor” ™ helping you to BE a better boss and to HAVE a better boss!
