Read the instructions. Read them again...
The instructions have been put together by several people over several
meetings and with lots of bickering. They will tell you EXACTLY what
the rules are and what the recruiters want. If it says you can't ask
any questions about the subjects in the inbox to anyone don't even
think about trying it.
Follow the path of "plan, do review."
Plan out what you are going to do with this inbox -- "I have 1 1/2
hours to process this stack of information. I'll look at each document
briefly for the first 10 minutes 7 not let myself get bogged down in
any detail, no matter how pressing, dire, interesting or worrying it
is. I'll go back through the documents and write a little post-it or
note to go with each one (high priority situation that needs a
descision today, unclear & a meeting is required next week, we are
loosing money on this investment and it is time to get out, this
employee seems over stressed and needs some immediate counseling,
etc...). Orgainzing the documents with notes should leave me enough
time to put together my "script" that I will present when I go into
the next room. The script can be to-do lists, bullet points, some
narrative and lists of questions I'm going to get to the bottom of
ASAP, with reasons for all of these actions (value to the company,
potential disasters to be avoided). I'll leave 10 minutes for
reviewing my data at the end. This means i have to start writing out
my script with about 1/2 hour left."
After plotting your course execute it. Don't be distracted. If
something catches your eye at any stage park it (write yourself a note
on the subject and put it aside for later). Sometimes inboxes have
some built-in complexity that won't hit you until you are half way in.
Manage the mental crisis by staying on target. Stop to re-evaluate
your plan if needed but remember, the only thing you don't have an
infinite supply of is time. While in the "DO" phase, don't feel as
thouggh you have to answer all questions or understand everything, one
thing that the recruiters might be evaluating is how you would handle
situations that are unclear or not ready to be decided. Bring your
concern into the follow up meeting. It is entirely reasonable to say
to someone "I looked at our relationship with company X and it seems
as though there is something wrong there. I don't know what, but I'd
like to get more information about contract Y and employee Z's
handling of the issue in order to judge if this is a potential trouble
spot."
In the review phase it is time to take ownership. You are the
boss/manager. You have the pwer and responsibility to do this job. See
yourself presenting the story to the recruiters. Does it make sense?
Are you taking them down a path that is clear and easy to follow with
reasons and supporting information? How can you flesh it out a bit
more or line up your issues so that you have the most urgent at the
front end?
When you get in there to present remember 2 things about the recruiters:
1. They want you to do well.
2. They will challenge you as they have been trained to do.
Look them in the eye. Be assertive. When challenged either admit from
the very begiinning that you don't feel 100% confident in what you've
deduced and you have highlighted in your presentation how you are
going to fill in the blanks or stand absolutely firm on your decision.
Nobody wants a leader that will back down when pushed.
To give an example, in one inbox exercize the presentation and
questions ratchet up to where a quuiet member of the team (he didn't
ask any questions for the first 20 minutes) asks "So you would decide
to shut down the operation?"
When the person in the hot seat says "yes" he really starts digging
into them, not cruel, but hard. "It's clear from the instructions that
your boss has hired you to lead that particular team out of its
troubles and you would shut down that operation, which is the backbone
of the team? Wouldn't you call in to someone else to make that
decision? What gives you the right to decide that."
The correct answer is that you would do it because it is right for the
company (in this case the operation was unsafe) and you would take the
consequences. This point can get quite emotional. Some people can't
take it and simply agree that maybe someone else should decide. These
sorts of tests are embedded in the inbox and give the recruiters some
insight into your character.
I hope this all helps. Ultimately, you will be yourself. I just hope
that you will do so at your best.
-RR |
