Interview Questions

After my kids left the house, I went back to coaching a youth travel soccer team because I did not like the way coaches treated their players. They were negative in their critiques, too focused on the result, and not focused enough on putting the players in a position to be successful. I saw that type of poor leadership in the business world too and this book is about addressing it. It details how to build strong, productive relationships using the core value of TRUST. When there is TRUST, individuals and teams will be engaged, productive, and willing to go above and beyond to get great results.

I titled the book “What’s TRUST Got to Do with It?” because I think leaders often miss the importance of relationship building with their key stakeholders and I know that TRUST is the foundation of great relationships and great relationships are the key to success…and partially because I think it’s a catchy, memorable title.

This book will benefit anyone seeking to strengthen or improve their career. It will help leaders, from first-time managers to experienced leaders, who aspire to be great leaders. It will help company leaders, like those in the C-suite, see how they can invest time and not a lot of money to lead their organization like a Fortune 50 company. It will also help people in career transition or seeking a better opportunity, to organize their job search in a way that will lead to a successful outcome.

I want readers to take away that it is not only okay, but beneficial to be kind, open and honest in business. I believe that the “Golden Rule” is wrong. Whereas, the “Platinum Rule” emphasizes treating people the way they want to be treated rather than how you want to be treated. When we approach relationships with trust and respect, which is the basis of my TRUST Success Model, the level of engagement goes up and the results are usually very good on many levels.

I enjoy reading fiction. I think there are so many negative things happening these days that I enjoy feel-good books. Typically, the genre is suspense or mystery novels, like Harlen Corbin books, where the hero always wins at the end. I recently read and enjoyed “The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife,” which “explores the importance of connection between people of all ages”.

I think there are a lot of great business books, but many seem very high-level and not necessarily doable. They leave a lot for the reader to figure out. My book is about real-life practical ideas that can be immediately put into practice and that will lead to great(er) success for job seekers, business leaders, and their organizations.

You know you’re in a trust-based culture when there is Transparency from leadership and all pertinent information is shared at all levels of the organization… when Results, both good and bad, are used as teachable, motivating moments… when there is recognition, Understanding and respect for the individual’s professional and personal needs… when the mission is Simple and focused and there is a universal understanding of goals and expectations so everyone knows what good looks like… and when there is a sense of Team where individual accomplishment is recognized, but everyone is in it for the success of the team.

One way a lack of trust shows up is through micromanagement. When leaders don’t trust their teams to get things done, they are overly involved in the details of their employees' work. A lack of trust shows up as a lack of engagement because employees don’t feel they will get back what they put into their job. A lack of trust is often seen in organizations where there is little innovation or initiative taking because people fear the consequences if their efforts don’t lead to success.

One of the things I’ve learned in my executive coaching practice is that many leaders think their organization is more aligned than it actually is. In my book, I include a survey that organizations can use to identify the level of trust in their organization.

One major risk of low organizational trust is a talent drain. When employees don’t trust their leaders, they will always be looking for something better. A lack of trust also is reflected in a lack of innovation and initiative-taking as noted earlier. And a lack of trust can also lead to a lack of business because it’s hard to find partners or colleagues who will give everything they can to your success if they don’t trust that you have their interests in mind too.

A job search is often associated with a lot of negativities. It is critical that the job seeker trusts that they are good enough and will land a great job. The TRUST Success Model helps shows them how to be Transparent with themselves to identify their strengths, areas for development and the direction they want to take their career. The model helps them focus on Results that will separate them from their competition. The model helps them Understand social media and how to use LinkedIn as part of their successful job search. The model also shows them how to develop Simple, concise, impactful, and memorable interview answers. And, finally, the model directs the reader on how to develop the Teams they will need for a successful job search.

I love this question because I believe, when it comes to decision making regarding job candidates, hiring managers go beyond the traditional interview questions and answers to determine how a person will fit into the organizational culture.

Consider that there are likely three final candidates for a job. All meet the requirements and qualifications for the role. What differentiates one from the other? Certainly, interview answers are important, but I believe relationship building leads to a job offer…and TRUST is the foundation of great relationships.

Being Transparent with your interview answers… not being afraid to present a “failed” example…builds trust. Making eye contact and showing an interest in the interviewer builds trust. Delivering a consistent message, that clearly communicates the Results you’ve delivered, through your resume, LinkedIn profile, and interviews, builds trust. Demonstrating Understanding of the business issues the company and interviewer are facing builds trust. Giving clear, Simple, and easy-to-understand interview answers builds trust. And demonstrating you can be a good Team player builds trust. Other things like timely, follow-up communications and connecting on a personal level with interviewers also builds trust.

Evaluate yourself, your leadership, or your organization’s culture. Self-reflect and seek input from others. Then, prioritize which aspect of the TRUST Success Model you want to focus on. Don’t try to take on too much at once.

For example, if you’re a leader and you feel you can be more transparent with your team, share a challenge or two that you’re facing and ask for input to address it. This type of vulnerability builds trust as does the respect you’re showing by asking for input from your team members.

As a job seeker, go step-by-step through the TRUST Success Model to refine your job search.

Organizations should use the TRUST survey in the book to determine the level of trust in their organization so they can address the issue head on.

Losing your job or feeling like you need to find a new job even though you're employed, can throw your life into chaos. Where there once was certainty, and a regular paycheck, there is now a great unknown. The TRUST Success model, as described in the book, will help you put together a plan for success. It gives you a roadmap. With that plan, comes confidence… and with confidence comes a successful job search.

Yes! Absolutely! I wrote this book so that, regardless of your role or situation, you can use it as a reference. It is laid out in three distinct sections that clearly lay out how to use the TRUST Success Model to improve leadership, your organization’s culture, or your job search. You can go to any part of the book that is relevant to you or someone you’re coaching/mentoring, at any time, for a variety of situations.