Before we can interview for interest and passion, we have to define the work. It’s always about the work.

Most S-IV roles are integration roles, integrating systems and sub-systems for total organizational throughput. The tools at S-IV are system metrics. The role is typically an executive manager, VP or C-suite. Longest time span goals and objectives would be 2-3-4-5 years. Learning would be long-term (longitudinal) analytic. Highest level problem solving would include systems analysis (Senge-Fifth Discipline). Value-add to the organization is multi-system efficiency and total throughput. It is the role at S-IV to optimize multi-system output so that no one system overwhelms or drags on other systems, and to improve handoffs of work output from one system to the next system. One of the most important functions at S-IV is as the manager of S-III and the manager-once-removed (MOR) at S-II.

Managerial roles at S-IV are accountable for the output of the team at S-III.

Interview questions –

• The purpose of these next questions is to look at some of the systems in your prior company and examine the way those systems worked together?
• In your last role, list the functional systems that existed?
• What was your role title?
• Which single function were you most focused on?
• Looking at that system, what impact did other systems have on its output?
• Describe the balance or imbalance of your focus system and its surrounding system?
• When one system in your organization was out of balance, in your role, how did you discover the imbalance?
• When one system in your organization was out of balance, in your role, how did you influence or take direct action to correct the imbalance?
• How did you communicate the corrective steps necessary to re-balance the systems?
• How long did it take to re-balance the systems?
• How did you know, what metrics indicated the systems were back in balance?
• Step me through the work flow, start to finish as work moved from one function to another in your organization?
• As work moved from one function to the next, how was that work transferred, communicated, handed-off?
• Looking at the work transitions between functions, in your role, how did you detect problems?
• Looking at the work transitions between functions, in your role, how did you influence or take direct action to improve the hand-off transitions?
• How did you communicate the necessary steps to improve the hand-off transitions?
• How did you document the hand-off transition steps?
• How did you know when the hand-off transitions improved?
• Tell me about another example?

Each of these questions asks for a specific piece of data about the candidate. And though we are trying to find out about an attitude or feeling, the questions are still laser focused on the work.

How to Interview for Passion at S-I Level of Work
How to Interview for Passion at S-II Level of Work
How to Interview for Passion at S-III Level of Work