Loud Thinking

Archive for September, 2013

2 Unconventional Questions to Ask a Job Applicant

Gauging a potential employee’s skills and suitability is tricky when you don’t have much time. But there are ways to take interviewees out of their comfort zones and encourage the kind of candor that will enable you to find the best fits. Try using these takes on standard interview questions:
“What don’t you want to be doing five years from now?” Asking the question this way forces an applicant to think on his feet, revealing a lot about his adaptability.
“What would you say is the biggest misperception people have of you?” Top candidates will have a high level of self-awareness and won’t have trouble answering this. They’ll also understand that perception is reality in many cases, and may already have a plan to address it.

Adapted by HBR from “How to Separate the Winners from the Spinners,” by Chris Smith and Chris Stephenson.

“It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.”

— Dale Carnegie

Forgiveness is a willingness to pardon someone.

Get People to See Your Potential

Overcoming people’s perceptions of you isn’t easy. But getting bosses, peers, or potential clients to realize, and remember, what you’re doing now—and grasp what you’re truly capable of—is important if you want them to think of you when new opportunities arise. Here’s how:
Create content. Blog posts, podcasts, videos, or even a savvy and professional Twitter feed demonstrates your expertise and enables people to judge you based on the quality of the material you produce, not your history or credentials.
Find a wingman. Team up with someone and take turns promoting each other. At cocktail parties or conferences, you both can make a point of mentioning each other’s accomplishments or bringing up topics where your partner excels.

Adapted by HBR from “How to Get Others to See Your Potential,” by Dorie Clark.

European Union forces Pakistan for abolishing death sentences and look what Japan is doing:

A Times of India Report…!

Japan hangs murder convict; sixth execution of the year

CLT20: No visas for Pakistan’s Faisalabad Wolves. A TOI report.

Pakistan: Eat more sugar cane.

What a response from Man Mohan Singh of the friendly gestures of Nawaz Sharif..!

Mr. Nawaz Sharif carry on trying to clap with one hand..!

“There is only one success — to be able to spend your life in your own way.”

— Christopher Morley

Common-Ground is the state of sharing features or attributes.

“We have not all had the good fortune to be ladies. We have not all been generals, or poets, or statesmen; but when the toast works down to the babies, we stand on common ground – for we have all been babies. ”

Mark Twain (1835-1910);
[Samuel Clemens] humorist, essayist, novelist

Consider the Risks in Your Business Case

A good business case addresses the question, “What happens if we take this course of action?” But chances are that not everything will go as planned. Be sure to consider the risks to what you are proposing and what will happen to the project’s value if you’ve made the wrong assumptions. Most people focus on threats: What if the vendor doesn’t deliver on time? What if the cost of raw materials goes through the roof? What if you aren’t able to hit the launch date? But you also need to consider opportunities: How can you get a higher return on investment or a faster payback? Can you complete the project sooner? Can you put your best team on it? Think about each assumption you’ve made and how it could change.

Adapted from the HBR Guide to Building Your Business Case eBook + Tools.