Build Credibility: Interview Your Team

One of the best and easiest ways of creating credibility with your team is to interview them one on one as soon as possible after you step into your leadership role. The more time you let slip by, the more difficult it will be to have the kind of open conversation that you are looking for. In essence, their experience of you and your experience of them will cause you to be prejudiced. This is to say, your mind will have already started to form an opinion of them which is restrictive rather than expansive.

As their leader, you are investing in them and their future success. Interviewing your direct reports is incredibly powerful and provides you as the leader with great insight on how to best lead the individual as well as deploy their capabilities, skills, talents and interests to maximum effect.

Some leaders make the mistake that this processes is all about selling the team member on the team (or worse, on you their leader). Don’t do this. Focus instead on the individual sitting in front of you. Ask open ended questions such as:

• What inspired you to join this team?
• What are you looking to get out of your experience?
• What kind of work do you love to do?
• What sort of work do you hate to do?
• How would you describe your ideal work environment?
• What kind of support do you want from me?
• What do you see as your strengths and how we might best use them?
• What concerns do you have?
• What questions do you have?

This conversation need not take anymore than 20 minutes per person however you can rest assured that it will be time well spent. The tangible outcomes of understanding people’s motivation for being a part of the team and what they would like to see or do as a team member are obviously beneficial.

The less tangible benefits are associated with you as the leader taking time out of your schedule to get their input and demonstrate your support for their success on the team. This adds credibility to your credibility account in a big way.

Depending on the flow of the conversation, you can also share your thoughts and aspirations with the individuals thus starting to shape the direction you want to take. It is important not to over do this though. Make it about them.