Being able to conduct an effective employment interview is critical to having the right people in the right jobs. Often, executives are asked to interview or screen applicants for critical positions and they don’t know how to start the interview or what questions to ask. Every interview should begin with developing rapport or making the interviewee comfortable. Next, the questions begin. Asking the right types of questions is crucial to an effective interview. Never ask questions that are illegal, like” Are you married?” Stay away from close ended questions that elicit a yes or no answer unless you need a yes or no answer. For example, “This position requires 50% international travel. Can you manage that?” or “How many years have you been involved with Process Excellence?” are appropriate close ended question. Generic questions like, “Tell me about yourself?” or “What are some of your strengths?” can be a waste of time, they do not elicit fact based answered. Let’s face it; anyone can say good stuff about themselves. Specific behavioral questions that are tied to the requirements of the job are the best types of questions to ask.

There has been a lot written about Adult Learning Theory and how to use the theory when working with adults. Teaching adults is very different from teaching children. They don’t have patience with bad instruction and 9 times out of 10; they won’t sit through a boring lecture. After all, this is not college. They don’t have to be there. If you are getting ready to deliver Process Excellence training or Six Sigma training for the first time, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. • Adults have a need to know why they should learn something or what’s in it for them. When employees are invited to attend Black Belt training, they are typically highly motivated because they have the opportunity to learn a highly valued methodology and skill set. The six sigma methodology will assist Black Belts in solving real problems; it also looks great on your resume to be a certified Black Belt! My experience has shown that Black Belts tend to be a bit more motivated than Green Belts. Maybe because the BB is a full time position, or the BB gets more visibility, or the BB is highly regarded. In a GB class, half of the class seems highly motivated and the rest are there because they were told to be there. Another reason that impacts BB and GB motivation is the project. Every BB and GB should attend training with a properly scoped project that has a direct impact on business results. If the project stinks, the BB or GB won’t be highly motivated. Try using case studies, success stories, testimonials or examples of how others used your product or service successfully. Solicit material from clients and vendors, or ask your readers to write. It's a win-win! You get relevant content, and they get exposure.

Did you know that there are over 2,796 languages spoken in the world plus Braille and sign language? Most Process Excellence audiences are culturally diverse. Business is global and employees come from every country and speak many languages. If you are speaking in the United States, there are probably a few people that have traveled from other countries to be included in the audience. There will also be participants that live and work in the United States but English is their second, third or fourth language. Often, Process Excellence Leaders are self conscious about their speaking skills when English is the second language. I try to relax people by telling them that their English is much better than my Italian, French or German!