Interviews
What was your rationale in developing your interview guide sheet(s)? What did you hope to discover?
I wanted to create my guide sheets in a way that would calibrate the way others see me with the way I see myself. I like to think that I know what my own strengths and weaknesses are, but those may simply be biased perceptions. My guide creates an opportunity for connections about relative disparities in my own views. While I know that there are many things about myself that I can change for the better, it would be nice to know if I am accurate in my perception of those opportunities. For so much of my life, I have seen myself as a cautious participant in my own endeavors – always favoring safe and predicable outcomes over ambitious pursuits. The last few years have, however, brought a significant development in my approach to life and my work. My hope is that these interviews would either validate my efforts for change or would highlight continued obstacles in my path towards personal growth.
What did you learn about yourself as a result of this process?
This process helped me see that there are both good and bad sides to each of my perceived strengths and weaknesses. I have always seen my ambition and need for structure as positive things, but I’ve learned that they can sometimes be off-putting to others. The things that motivate or inspire me are not necessarily as valuable to others if I fail to consider their own needs and desires. On the opposite side of that, though, I’ve been told that I can sometimes invest too heavily in the needs of others and neglect the things that truly matter to me. After interviewing my boss Julie, I realized that being independent does not always work in a team environment. While I often succeed in forming strong relationships with team members, I do not always do a great job of sharing my vision or my path towards success. I simply provide expectations and guidance as necessary. Julie appreciates my self-sufficiency since it helps her, but my role requires that I communicate more clearly with all members of the team. Being independent does not mean that I have to do things on my own, but instead means guiding others on a shared endeavor with me – utilizing their feedback and support along the way.
Were there any surprising results from your interviews? Explain?
I was mildly surprised to discover that I am not as easy-going as I thought I was. Change and stress do not usually have a negative effect on me and, in fact, I have frequently been complimented on my composure and ability to adapt to changing situations. In my personal life, however, I am apparently less flexible in this regard. My wife reminded me of how often I get frustrated when plans change or when there are no plans at all. She likened my response to a grouchy, pouting child at times. In order for me to properly balance work, school, and family, just about every moment of every day is planned out to the minute. No plan means no hope of happiness – at least that’s how I make it seem. Creating strong plans for my time means establish an effective way for me to meet my goals. It would seem, however, that at work I need to be more diligent in communicating such plans. While I often try to respond to situations in the moment, I have discovered that I am more of a planner than I once thought. There is currently some level of satisfaction that I derive from making and completing task lists – though I might normally see them as rigid and unforgiving. I like to think of myself as a bit a spontaneous and fun guy, but the interview with my wife allowed me to see that I crave stability. And, the interview with my boss helped me see how strengths in one part of my life may actually presents as areas of opportunities in other areas.
How will you think differently, and what will you do differently, as a result of this assignment (self-monitoring, working on developing certain skills, etc.)?
I will continue to focus on personal growth and to take advantage of changes to challenge myself to be better at what I do. My work provides me with a plethora of resources, and involving members of my team more effectively will allow me to achieve even greater goals. While I long to serve others, sometimes it is necessary to let others help me. And, when help is given, I can celebrate our shared efforts in a meaningful way that will ultimately benefit all of us. Structured plans may not always be necessary for every aspect of my life, but I plan to more clearly communicate my use of them when applicable. And, ultimately, I hope to find more balance in my personal time. My six-year-old son reminds me of this on a daily basis that I need to be patient, understanding, and considerate when offering guidance to others. I must also dedicate more time to myself as my wife reminded me that I often put myself last when it comes to the use of my energy.
SECTION 2: Include your interview guide sheets / interviewee responses (at least two interviewees). Include / summarize their responses to each of the questions separately (Interview #1 / Interviewee #2). Please combine this information into one document for the purposes of assignment submission (don’t submit multiple separate documents).
Interview #1 Summary:
My first interview was with my wife, Kelly. We have been together for nearly 17 years and she knows me better than anyone. When I asked her to describe me in three words, I was not surprised that she chose words like considerate and driven. I was also glad to hear her refer to me as a caring individual because much of who I am is founded in my efforts to be of service to the needs of others. While I am sometimes judgmental of others, I don’t ever mean for that to be perceived as uncaring. Instead I am invested in the maximum potential of each person and feel sad when I know people are capable of much more than they are putting forth. Sometimes I struggle when I think that people are making excuses rather than just buckling down and doing the work necessary. Unfortunately, my perception of others is not always accurate and I must learn to be more patient with others when they are doing their best. In fact, my wife warned me that I sometimes need to offer more recognition for others when they do things well. High standards are great, but they don’t always work to inspire. She concluded our conversation by reminding me of the importance of relaxation and self-reflection. The weeks ahead will be focused on incorporating this feedback into my daily life – I even have a vacation planned for the end of August after graduation!
Interview #2 Summary:
My second interview was with my boss, Julie. Julie is my current manager with whom I interact almost daily, if not weekly. She has worked hard to help me realize that independence has value in my work, but cannot be expected to deliver results on its own. While I have repeatedly demonstrated my ability to work on my own, Julie reminded me that asking for help can sometimes be even more valuable to my efforts. Engaging others in the process of goal achievement only works to strengthen the team and make goals even more achievable. What I really respect about Julie is her willingness to offer direct and constructive feedback for me. She offered recognition of my strengths, but also pointed out areas where things might be even better. She also helped me see how leveraging my strength in team building could help me gain positive traction when approaching challenges. She also showed me how I might incorporate the planning skills of my personal life into the needs of my day to day work life.
INTERVIEW GUIDE SHEET
Interview # 1
Person Interviewed: Kelly Cooley
Relationship: Wife
Questions:
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When you think about me, what are some adjectives or phrases that come to mind that are good descriptions and explain to me why you think that.
I see you as a driven, considerate and caring individual. You are extraordinarily hardworking and you have good, but strange, need for perfection. I see how much time you spend planning your days and quite honestly, I don’t know how you keep track of it all. I have always wanted to go back to school, but I don’t think I could ever do what you do. I’d never get it all done!
For all the years we have been together, I have always admired your focus on helping other people. While I sometimes wish you spent more time with me and Sean, I know that you are trying your hardest to make everybody happy. So many people look up to you and admire how good you are at so many things. More than anything, though, I think people know how much you care about them and appreciate that you do so much on their behalf.
2. You mentioned some positive traits you see in me. Can any of these strengths also show some weakness?
It seems weird to think that strengths can also be weaknesses, but I can see your point. More than anything, I think that the high standards you set for yourself can be intimidating and impossible for other people to achieve. It’s good that you push other people to do a good job, but sometimes it seems like you are being a bit demanding. And, unfortunately, if they don’t do things as well as you’d like, you don’t always congratulate them on the things they did well. Some people are ok with not being perfect – in fact most of us are ok with that. While people may try hard to be better, they don’t always want you pushing it.
I’m not sure that being caring or considerate are every really bad things, but they can detract a little bit from other parts of your life. Sometimes I feel like you give too much of yourself to others even though they may not do the same for you. I think you’d benefit from some more personal time and attention every now and again. It might help you appreciate other people more.
3. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate me in the following areas:
Decision making / problem-solving skills. Rating: 8
Sense of humor. Rating: 6
Interpersonal skills and teamwork abilities. Rating: 7
Communicate and present ideas (in writing). Rating: 8
Flexibility and adaptability. Rating: 6
Planning and organization skills. Rating: 9
4. Please explain why you gave the above ratings.
I rated you high on problem solving skills because I know how good you are at making things work. If something isn’t going to plan, you might get frustrated but you always know how to get things back on track. You aren’t afraid to identify problems and seem to know what is necessary to implement change.
Sense of humor was tricky. You know I think you are very funny and our son constantly talks about how silly you are. But, we don’t really get a ton of time with you now that you’re in school and you certainly seem much more serious right now. I have noticed that on your days off, you go back to your goofy self but I just miss it being a more regular part of who you are all the time.
For interpersonal and teamwork skills I gave you a 7. I think you do a great job of leading others and I know how much your employees love working with you. But, I also know that you can sometimes be set in your ways when it comes to planning. You like to feel efficient and to have everything mapped out. You do not, however, always let other people be part of the process. I think you might helped them feel like a bigger part of the team if you let go of control a bit and allowed others to take charge. That said, you are amazing and building relationships with people. I have even had people at my work comment on how engaging you are and they want to know more about you. That just screams interpersonal skill.
5. So, in closing, what would you suggest I do to improve?
I think you just need to remember that your needs are just as important as those of anybody else. I know how badly you want to help other people, but don’t let it drain you completely. Also, I am anxious to see how much better you feel when school is all done. I know you are learning a lot right now, and I can’t wait to see how you apply that knowledge. Just remember that everything you are going through right now with school and work is going to pay off in the long run. Stay positive – you’re almost there.
INTERVIEW GUIDE SHEET
Interview # 2
Person Interviewed: Julie Lorentz Relationship: Boss
Questions:
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When you think about me, what are some adjectives or phrases that come to mind that are good descriptions and explain to me why you think that.
I would describe you as hard-working, effective, and very supportive of me and others. Our district covers four cities and eleven stores. I don’t always have time to connect with each of your personally, but I always know that you are going to be on top of things. If other stores need help, I typically tell them to call you because I know you’ll be able to help them out. You have worked in many stores and have done so many wonderful things with sales and team development. I also know how hard you work to make sure your team is happy and that you constantly challenge them to grow within their roles. And, quite honestly, you do a great job of supporting me. As you know, we are constantly adapting to changing expectations at work. I always know I can count on you to take on extra responsibilities and help me implement change when necessary.
2. What are some of the areas where you see I can improve?
The biggest opportunity I see for you is your use of clear planning tools. I know that you always have a plan for achieving the goals of the company and for the development of your team. Unfortunately, I don’t always know what those plans are. While your ability to visualize your strategy provides you with a great deal of benefit – you might get even more benefit from documenting and sharing those strategies. Your team will know how to better support the efforts of the store, and I will be able to better understand how I can contribute to your success. Don’t get me wrong, being able to work independently is a terrific skill. It can, however, be slightly less effective in our team based environment.
3. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate me in the following areas:
Decision making / problem-solving skills. Rating: 9
Sense of humor. Rating: 8
Interpersonal skills and teamwork abilities. Rating: 9
Communicate and present ideas (in writing). Rating: 6
Flexibility and adaptability. Rating: 9
Planning and organization skills. Rating: 7
4. Please explain why you gave the above ratings.
I know that you are very strong when it comes to making decisions on behalf of your team. I especially appreciate that you can always speak to your reasoning when I ask about your plans. I also know that you are capable of dealing with challenging situations at work and have nothing but confidence in your ability to effectively run your business.
I know that, sometimes, work can be challenging – especially with a never ending stream of new priorities on the horizon. But, in spite of that constant challenge, you always seem to have a positive approach to your work. And, I see how much fun you and your team have when you are working together. Your ability to motivate your partners through humor and positivity is an incredible skill. Not to mention the fact that you are constantly offering witty comebacks for my personal challenges.
Your team work and interpersonal skills are also very high. Your partners are never afraid to let me know how much they appreciate having you as a leader. And, as I mentioned before, you are always available to help out your fellow managers when they have questions or need support. Everybody knows that if you can, in some way, help them through a problem – you definitely will. Keep in mind that those kinds of efforts are reciprocal and someday you’ll appreciate the reward of your efforts.
Communicating and presenting ideas in writing is an area of opportunity for you. I know you have great plans, but I’m not always clear on what they are or how you plan to accomplish them. That said, it can sometimes be difficult to know how I can best support you and your team. I know if you are invested in a project or goal, it will get done. I just want to see you engage others more directly in your process.
5. So, in closing, any suggestions for improvement?
Just remember that the more support you get from other people, the more you become successful and available to take on new challenges. Your ability to lead your team through personal development and commitment is going to be a huge strength for you in many years to come. Don’t ever get so caught up in making plans that you find yourself completing them alone. You work as part of a team – you are great at doing things for others so give them the chance to repay the favor.