The Contented Cow Blog

Building Workplaces That Work

According to news reports, Presidential candidate John McCain is planning a little cookout over Memorial Day weekend, at his place in Sedona, Arizona. As the guest list includes a number of people who’ve been suggested as possible vice presidential running mates for Senator McCain, the news media have been reporting that it’s really an audition for the job of VP.

McCain’s people deny that.

I don’t know why. I suspect it probably is, in fact, a vetting opportunity for the job of veep, and if so, I think it’s a good idea. Especially for jobs with a complex set of requirements, like that of Vice President of the United States. I know what John Nance Garner, one of FDR’s VP’s said - that the job wasn’t worth a bucket of warm spit - but that’s changed over the last 20 years or so.

I’ve done a lot of “observational” interviews, taking job candidates to lunch or dinner, in part to observe how they behave in social situations, how they interact, and how they treat others. I once decided against an executive candidate because, during dinner, he snapped orders at our server, and never once uttered the words “thank you” for anything she did. I didn’t think he’d make a good leader - someone who needs to be able to inspire the discretionary effort of those they lead.

I also traveled one time with someone I had considered recommending for a particular job. This guy did nothing but complain the whole time, even when faced with relatively minor annoyances. I changed my mind.

According to a story (perhaps apocryphal, maybe true), the late department store magnate James Cash Penney once took a prospective store manager out to dinner as part of the candidate’s interview process. He noticed that the fellow salted and peppered his meal before taking the first bite. Penney wondered if this might portend a tendency to make decisions before having all the necessary information, and he passed on the potential candidate.

The next time you’re hiring someone, try to create an opportunity to observe them in a situation where they need to interact with people. It might tell you more than any interview question you could possibly come up with.

Richard Hadden is a leadership speaker, author, and consultant who helps organizations improve their business results by creating a great place to work. He and his co-author and business partner Bill Catlette, are the authors of the new book Contented Cows MOOve Faster, as well as the acclaimed business classic Contented Cows Give Better Milk. Learn more about them and their work at ContentedCows.com.

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