Lou Adler’s LinkedIn blog recently talked about preventing hiring mistakes. He leads us through the reasons hiring managers often “count out” candidates. And this piece of advice stood out:
Treat people you don’t like as consultants. Sometimes candidates are nervous, sometimes they’re different in appearance or personality, and sometimes they talk with accents you don’t like. And sometimes, these are great people. To find the truth, assume they’re great, and treat them as expert consultants. After 30 minutes you might discover they are.
But Adler’s advice can be applied far beyond job interviews. Think about it. How many times have you met someone and immediately judged them? Have you met someone, heard one sentence out of their mouth and thought, “Idiot.” Sure you have. How would your life and your relationships change, though, if you treated everyone you met as an expert? Because, really, everyone’s an expert at something, right?
So the next time you meet someone – whether you’re interviewing them or just saying hello, ask yourself, “What might be this person’s expertise?” Find it, and you’ll be creating a relationship with someone you may have never known…or valued.
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
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