First Thing Monday #15
This week we discuss developing intergenerational work culture, the importance of clear communication, and my top five questions to ask in interviews 🧑🏻💼📱❓
☕ Happy Monday, y’all! The weather has been cooler here this past week so I haven’t been able to get out for any running. I will change that this week!
☑️ FTM is a weekly newsletter that includes a recap of all the news Millennial and Gen Z leaders need to know to help make better decisions about their careers. Each issue also includes four tips for developing better relationships in your workplace. Weekly issues come out on Monday mornings!
❓ Have a work question or topics you’d like us to discuss? Drop me a line 📱 misterfantastiksubstack@gmail.com or leave us a comment below!
I’m Jon Cochran, a consumer goods executive with 15 years of experience leading sales, marketing, and product development teams and working with brands like J.Crew, Hilton, and Mattel. I want to provide resources to help you take control of your career and maximize your satisfaction in the workplace.
⏰ What to read before your first meeting:
Meet the Gen Z brand whisperers: ‘I come in and I’m like: don’t make some weird old-ass campaign!’ (The Guardian): The headline is misleading; this article shares several great stories of intergenerational collaboration happening at some of our favorite brands. Still—don’t be weird!
Employees say they prefer culture change over self-care apps to improve mental health (HR Dive): At one past job of mine, there were two years and thousands of dollars spent on “resilience.” The number of workshops or breathing apps shared by a wayward manager will never mean much if the manager themselves is not also improving their own mental health.
Building a Culture of Trust: From Candidate to Employee and Beyond (Digital Workforce Trends): When we talk about workplace culture, we don’t always take into consideration exactly what all that entails. I love this article because it really lays out how workplace culture reveals itself throughout one’s employment experience.
“Digital Charisma Filters” coming for 30% of workers (Staffing Industry Analysts): We could call them Rizz Filters—an AI assistant who improves the consistency and communication of interactions at all phases of recruiting and employment. While just a prediction, for now, we all know folks who could sometimes use reminders of how to interact with people in society.
Skills: are we in the era of the generalist? (Personnel Today): With more and more businesses facing a wider-than-ever set of problems, a balance of specialists and generalists will help your team be prepared for (almost) anything. A broader skillset, knowledge, and variety of experiences gives generalists and their workplaces a different perspective to cross-department collaboration and problem-solving.
🚰 The Water Cooler
At this point, I bet you know Britney Spears is releasing a memoir. Despite all the hot goss on Justin, it’s how she describes Christina Aguilera at the 2003 VMAs that might be my favorite revelation!
Miuccia Prada is endlessly fascinating, and it’s not just for her style. “If Harvard was a billionaire woman, it would be Miuccia Prada,” says the Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli. Go off!
I am obsessed with this scarf from Eddie Bauer. Get on board.
Updated the 2023 - Q4 playlist.
📖 Reflections for this week:
For yourself: It's important to reflect on your communication style. One thing I often think about is whether I am providing clear instructions and expectations when working with others. There have been times when I've felt frustrated with someone but then realized that the cause of the frustration was my own lack of clarity from the beginning.
For your boss: Are you and your boss aligned on your company’s goals? Check-in with your boss to evaluate whether your team’s goals are aligned with the broader objectives of the company. Regularly revisiting department and company goals is essential to alignment, but also provides an opportunity for feedback and development.
For your direct report(s): Think about how well your team members are fitting into the company culture. How connected do they feel? How can you help bridge any gaps? One way to connect your direct reports is to make introductions to folks from other departments. These are opportunities for your team to deepen cross-departmental connections that can foster more engagement and better relationships. Encourage them to make time to meet their peers across the organization. Follow up with them to see what they’ve learned.
For your co-workers: Do you and your team share inspiration? Regardless of your industry or expertise, I believe that exposing ourselves to new and unfamiliar ideas and objects can help us grow and improve. Sharing inspiration is all about showcasing things that excite us, such as a thought-provoking podcast, an eye-opening art exhibit, or even a humorous clip that cleverly combines Cardi B sounds with Star Wars scenes. This sharing can be done through a dedicated Slack channel or as simple as forwarding an email or sharing an image on Instagram. I encourage you to share something that inspires you with a team member you think would appreciate it and see how it impacts them.
⚡️ And one last thing…
One thing that is on the minds of many leaders these days is how to hire the right talent. Whether you are currently looking for new hires or planning for future needs, it is crucial to have a good interview process in place to find the best fit for the job. Being well-prepared for interviews is important, whether they are conducted virtually or in person. During the interview, it is essential to understand the candidate's interest in the company and job, their professional journey, their values, and work habits.
In the past, I realized that the interview questions I was using were not helping me find the right people for the job. At first, I thought that the problem was with the candidates themselves. However, after some reflection, I realized that the questions I was asking were not getting at what I wanted to know—are you responsible? Are you reliable? How much coaching will this person need to get up to speed? So, I turned to some of my colleagues who had been making exceptional hires and asked for their guidance. Below are my favorite interview questions, which have been tried and tested by others. You can use them as a starting point to develop your own philosophy on hiring and interviewing. As you discover which questions work best for you and the job you are hiring for, you can refine and adjust them accordingly.
What was a piece of feedback you didn’t agree with, and how did you respond?
Intended to show how the candidate hears criticism, if they respond to it as a professional, and if they can learn and make improvements.
Tell me about a time a manager or co-worker upset you. What did they do to upset you, and how did you handle the situation?
The goal is to understand their emotions and how they handle emotional scenarios. How do they manage conflict?
Tell me about a time you made a mistake. What was it? How did it go?
You understand what they think of as a “mistake” and how big or small it could be. This can also show how they do or do not take responsibility for their actions, as well as if they understand the consequences of their actions.
What do you do for fun?
How do they spend their time outside of work? I’m looking for someone who doesn’t rely on their job to also be their personality. The more inspiration they find in non-work related activities, the more they will be able to handle the flow of work when the new job honeymoon wears off and routine sets in.
What does your support system look like?
How do they deal with stress? How do they take care of themselves? Can they take care of themselves? Leave this one open to some interpretation. Responses to this question can be revealing.
What are your favorite interview questions that you feel give insight into candidates that you otherwise don’t get from more conventional questions?
Have a great week!
Follow me on Instagram at @mistersfantastik
Do we already know the good parts of the Britney memoir? Will it be worth reading? I might buy the audiobook simply to hear Michelle Williams' line readings.
Thanks for the interview questions. Those are good.