14 Interview Questions for Hiring Your Next Innovator

by Lisa Bodell for Strategy+BusinessInnovation often comes from having an eclectic approach. It’s less about expertise and more about minds that can think through details while focusing on the bigger picture. It’s about having an aptitude for both the qualitative and the quantitative. It’s also about the ability to mesh a wild idea with reality, and the fortitude to bring it to market.The potential for innovation in your company increases when you have employees who demonstrate unrestrained thinking and the ability to connect seemingly disparate ideas. Is it possible to identify the people with these capabilities during a first interview? Absolutely—if you know what you look for and if you’re armed with the right questions.When searching for the next innovator to add to your team, start by looking for these five critical innovation skills and asking the relevant questions to find candidates who have them.1. Strategic imagination: the ability to dream with purpose and generate new ideas. People with this skill are perceptive enough to recognize the driving forces that are changing our world and imaginative enough to harness this potential in a business context. Dylan Lauren, for instance, dreamed of creating a candy store that combined the whimsy that appeals to children with the nostalgia that appeals to adults—resulting in Dylan’s Candy Bar, a successful confectionery empire.Read More →