Should You Chat Informally Before an Interview?

 

by Brian Swider, Brad Harris,Murray Barrick

 

photo_uniqueJob interviews typically begin with a set of seemingly innocuous questions unrelated to the job: How is your day going? Got any plans for the weekend? How was traffic on your way in?

It is commonly assumed that job candidates and interviewers both prefer to start with these types of questions rather than just diving into the more rigid and formal structured interview topics. After all, small talk is typically how most interactions between strangers begin. Interviewers also believe these little interactions, academically referred to as “rapport building,” help to loosen up nervous job candidates and lead to candid responses in the subsequent job-related questioning. (Note: Although this premise is intuitive, research has yet to substantiate it.) Continue reading

Three Questions Humble Leaders Ask

by Annet Aris

To avoid falling victim to narcissistic tendencies, leaders need to look outside in more ways than one.

My office window looks out on the only grassed square in my neighborhood. The view is wonderful: toddlers stumbling along playing tag, love-struck teenagers flirting shyly, fathers patiently playing ball with their offspring, hopeful they have an Olympics contender in the making.

As a supervisory board member of several companies, I often have to make difficult telephone calls over the course of the day; it may be to address conflicts in the boardroom or discuss tricky takeovers or remuneration issues. In each case, a quick glance out of the window during these conversations provides perspective and significantly improves my mood, which clearly benefits the outcome of the discussions.

It is a shame then that so many directors’ offices are without such a view and are often far away from the ordinary world. Continue reading

The 4 Leadership Styles, and How to Identify Yours

bill-taylor

by Bill Taylor

 

 

We all want to be part of a great success story. To run, start, or play a senior role in a company that wins big or changes the course of its industry. To launch a brand that dazzles customers and dominates its markets. To be the kind of executive or entrepreneur who creates jobs, generates wealth, and builds an organization bursting with energy and creativity.

Which means that all of us, no matter where we are in our career, have to wrestle with the big questions of leadership: What is our personal definition of success? What does it mean to make a difference and have an impact? What is the best way to rally colleagues to our cause, to handle problems and obstacles that inevitably arise, to revise plans in the face of setbacks or to stand pat no matter the odds? How much do we rely on our own ideas and experiences, and how widely do we seek the advice and support of those around us? If we hope to succeed, we need to understand how we lead. Continue reading

BPO Portfolio Executive in Consumer Products

banner_client_testimonialsPortfolio Executive

The Senior Executive will be responsible for performance of a portfolio- including sales, revenue and profitability.

This person would be responsible for the following:

  • Driving growth across growth platforms and be accountable for strategic metrics such as client penetration and contribution to geographic market share growth
  • Contribute to coordinating and driving the ongoing sales reengineering and pricing transformation programs necessary to win in the marketplace.
  • Assist with the implementation of industry programs at the regional level and support geography-based programs directly impacting large market-maker sales, foundation clients and regional/global clients.
  • Serve as a thought leader in the industry by helping to shape a vision of the future

Continue reading

Five habits of people who get promoted to leadership

by Rebecca Newton

Are you one step away from a senior leadership role? The secret to getting over the line and being promoted to that new leadership level can be one simple thing: giving yourself permission to lead.

People are often told that in order to move to their next level they need to “work on their leadership.” Except that, confusingly, the feedback they get on how they lead people and teams is already positive. There doesn’t seem to be any question of their leadership skills at all. The issue may not be how they lead others (influencing and facilitating) but rather how they lead the firm (driving the business forward). Continue reading