**"If I had dinner with your 3 best friends and asked them to describe you, what would I learn?"** _What I'm Listening For:_ Honest self-awareness. Third-party feedback asks them to consider how they're actually perceived, not how they wish they were. Strengths disguised as fake weaknesses are a red flag. --- **"What did you do to prepare for this interview?"** _What I'm Listening For:_ Proactiveness, motivation, and creativity. I give high marks to people who use the opportunity to add value to the organization, not just memorize facts. --- **"Tell me about a time a subordinate gave you negative feedback. How did you handle it?"** _What I'm Listening For:_ Ideally, they sought out the feedback as a regular practice. I want to understand how they considered it (not all feedback is useful) and their action to address it. Bonus points if they had the confident humility to circle back with the giver. --- **"What is the most significant challenge facing job seekers in your seat today?"** _What I'm Listening For:_ Understanding of the profession, appreciation of the craft, and the forces confronting them. Ideally, they proactively have ideas about addressing that challenge, too. I tend to ask this late and see if they can connect what they've learned about our company and team specifically. --- **"Teach me about something you're obsessed with."** _What I'm Listening For:_ Labels fall away, and it's just passion, clarity of thought, storytelling, and enthusiasm. Everyone has access to a passion. It's also a chance to build a deeper view of them on a human level and connect personally. --- **"Why will people follow you here?"** _What I'm Listening For:_ I learn their place with their team and company and how they earned it. I also set the expectation that they'll help us build the team from Day 1. We want missionaries, not mercenaries.