World View

I vividly recall an executive noting that we shouldn't revise a complaint procedure because if it were clarified, more employees would use it.

His view ran directly counter to my own. I not only favored clarifying how to file complaints. I also wanted the employees to know where else they could file complaints, such as the federal government and the attorney general's office.

We had different "world views." In his eyes, more complaints meant bad news, low morale, and consumed time. In mine, they meant the opportunity to address and learn from problems.

Looking back over the years, it has struck me how seldom we ask applicants in job interviews about their macro-view of work. I mean open-ended questions with plenty of time to explore the answers. Nothing rushed or multiple-choice. [Spare me the mindlessness of so many of those exams.]

We need to hear how the person thinks, to watch the body language and listen for the intonations and, through it all, get a sense of how this person views the world.

It can be of even greater importance for employers to continue the discussion with those who are already on-board. People are largely the sum of their experiences and many fine individuals will come to us tainted by dysfunctional workplaces. Combining talk of the world view with actions that reflect it provides a healthy education on the employer's standards and expectations. We cannot assume that employees will pick it up naturally.