Executive Interview Strategies

Consultants or internal managers often need to interview senior executives, and usually the success rate is not high. Based on my own practice and thinking, the recommended strategies are as follows:

1) Empathy

Imagine the daily life scenes of the president and vice president. What do they often see and often come into contact with? What information. They usually see various data, mainly data about overall results and final results; they often focus on current major events and future trends, focusing on customers and competitors, that is, they are highly concerned about their own strategy and the strategy of their opponents. national strategy. Knowing this, it may be easier to explore and understand the words of senior executives. Of course, it is also inseparable from the interviewer's accumulation in these aspects.

The key strategy is to step out of your own role. Many interviewers are fully prepared before the interview and are fully aware of their plans and are sincerely convinced. Therefore, on the one hand, it is difficult to restrain their excitement and must tell the whole story about their great plans; on the other hand, it is difficult to have Be patient and listen fully to what the other person is saying, but be eager to move the conversation forward. Only by stepping out of your own role frame can you truly think from someone else's perspective.

2) Establish trust

Being able to think from someone else’s perspective has actually laid the foundation for trust. At the same time, trust needs to be continuously maintained and consolidated, and it can easily happen if you are not careful. lose. During interviews, the key strategy for continuing to maintain and solidify trust is: listening. Listening in the true sense is rich in empathy, that is, not only understanding the other party's views and thinking, but also understanding the other party's emotions and psychological activities, and being able to establish a mutual resonance with the other party.

3) Love and Criticism

Executives are usually very concerned about the value of time, that is, what value the interview process will bring to him. They usually don't like to be a pure source of information and simply provide information to others. They tend to be more pragmatic and often care more about returns. Therefore, they need to get value from the interviewer. Interviewers can provide value to executives in at least the following aspects:

(1) Different constructive perspectives

Interviewers need a little courage and confidence to speak when needed When possible, share different and constructive perspectives with senior executives. Therefore, the interviewer is required to have independent in-depth thinking and insight.

(2) Same point of view despite differences

Even if the interviewer’s point of view is the same as the executive’s point of view, the arguments can be different and the argumentation methods can be different, and they need to reach the same goal by different means. Even if the same destination does not produce value, different paths can still produce value.

(3) Guide *** to create and summarize the results

The process of conversation is the process of two people colliding with each other and stimulating ideas. A high-quality conversation can create great results. The results of the conversation are valuable, and this result cannot be accomplished by one person. Sometimes this process is completed naturally, and sometimes it can be completed through guidance. Therefore, if the interviewer can provide executives with a set of conversation ideas to guide a high-quality conversation and bring valuable results, then this value will not be underestimated by executives.

(4) Improving the self-confidence level of executives

It means giving affirmation and praise to executives, but this kind of affirmation and praise needs to be very cautious. It is not flattering or even praise and praise. Praise is a kind of recognition, even a kind of appreciation, which needs to be expressed sincerely and naturally.

(5) Create a pleasant atmosphere

That is, be able to joke, tell jokes, or laugh at yourself appropriately to make the conversation friendly, warm, and harmonious. No one will refuse a harmonious atmosphere, especially senior executives. They are often lonely and often stay away from the crowd. Or to be precise, the crowd will habitually stay away from them, which is called high-mindedness and low-keyness. Therefore, they need more warmth, care and care, but they generally do not accept it easily. One is because they are worried about appearing childish and cannot maintain a tall image; the other is that they are often scarred and fearful of the world and are very sensitive.

Summary:

(1) Treat executives as ordinary people, even vulnerable groups, and give them sincere care in a cautious, patient, and within your capabilities.

(2) Cherish their time, that is, provide them with various values, which can be independent opinions or the results of guidance and creation.

From this, I believe it can increase the probability of success in interviewing senior executives.