12 Interview Questions For Hiring Simplifiers (Not Complicators)
by Lisa Bodell for Women@Forbes
If you’re familiar with the phrase “Rube Goldberg” (or you remember the breakfast machine in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure), you know that it refers to a deliberately complicated machine that performs a very simple task. At work, many of us have known people who are the human equivalents of a Rube Goldberg machine: they complicate every assignment or task they touch.They’re known for constantly bottlenecking projects, wasting resources, and an unmistakable allergy to workarounds or timesavers.
On the other end of the spectrum are simplifiers. These folks naturally seek the most efficient path, and are highly receptive to change that leads to better or faster outcomes. Their daily approach to work is uncluttered by minutiae or ego, and their efficiency adds enormous value to their organization. These are also the kind of people with whom I most enjoy working so I’ve learned to identify them during the hiring process. Is it really possible to recognize a simplifier during a first interview? Absolutely—when you’re armed with these 12 hiring questions and a few pro tips for interpreting candidate’s answers.
- If you could do one thing at your previous or current company to instantly simplify your work, what would it be?