"I never hire somebody without having a meal with them."
I never hire somebody without having a meal with them. I am absolutely convinced that that’s how you see what people are really like. You can tell by the way they order, you can tell by the way they treat the wait staff, you can tell by the way they drink too much or what they drink — you can pick up all these lifestyle things that you can’t get out of questioning them sitting in your office. Maybe they can’t make a decision on what to order, or they’re very snotty to the waitress. I absolutely have changed my mind on individuals after doing that. - Teresa A Taylor, COO, Qwest
Read this NYTimes interview with Qwest's Chief Operating Officer Teresa Taylor on wellness and balance at work. It's simple work/life guidance to put into practice immediately.
Would you hire someone without having a meal with them? Would you hire yourself if you had a meal with you?
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Reader Comments (11)
Not a meal but i have met people for coffee - less formal and more relaxing than traditional interview room. This post really made me think about respecting myself - eating at the table, lighting a candle, savouring and being grateful for my healthy food in the momemt. When i nuture myself in this way i would definitely hire me!
Taylor's instincts on this are just right. When I was a CTO, I never did much questioning of a candidate on technical issues. People who worked for me did plenty of that. I simply tried to get a reading on what kind of a person they were. And I got pretty good at it. I can usually form an accurate impression of someone after only a few minutes. You just have to learn to let their presence wash over you and then trust your gut.
I didn't have the luxury of taking them to lunch or dinner, but that would have been a great thing to do. And especially good for critical positions, where you really want to be sure you have the right person.
But I have to say, an even better way of guaging someone's character and personality is to play golf with them, if they play. Golf is a test of character unlike no other. You see how someone reacts to good fortune and adversity, how they deal with partners and opponents, and you get 4 or 5 hours to do it. It's a wonderful reflection of someone's self-image.
hmm...good topic! great photo, by the way...i waited tables for 16 years so in many ways i can "feel" for servers and be very understanding...but i can also be critical when i don't get the basics...so i will definitely be more aware of "eating out with myself"...overall i agree this would be a good test of the person you would be hiring...
How wonderful to have a full meal several times over when you need to hire someone! I've actually never done that and although I think it's a great concept I don't know how practical it would be especially in a recession when there are likely to be many good candidates responding for each vacancy.
I'm not so sure about playing golf with someone for an interview. I'd fail before I started because I don't play golf. I'd be less confident than usual under those circumstances.
james cash penny, founder of jc penney, took people out for a meal as part of the interview process. he said he never hired anybody who seasoned their food before tasting it.
Jeanne That's brilliant.
After reflection (and thank you for that, Gwen), I would now not hire someone without having a meal with them. And while I do occasionally season my food without tasting it, which means a future at JC Penney is out of the question I guess, I would hire me based on my meal-time behavior. I've been a waitress. I know the hell that job can be, and all the crazy that occurs in restaurants. It upsets me to no end when people are rude to wait staff. It also drives me nuts when wait staff is overly solicitous, however, so... who knows?
I worked in TV for a long time before I quit the industry and I had many, many meals out. And I whole-heartedly agree that you can totally tell the character of the person in this situation. I would never work with anyone who'd order the most expensive item of the menu... seriously, someone who only scans the prices and not the actual food only cares about show and not food.
This works wonderfully before taking on new clients too. It is absolutely amazing how much you can glean from just meeting over coffee. This is also where intuition comes into play -- and when you start listening, you realize you may not be able to vocalize the "why" of it ... but it is a most crucial resource that is uncannily accurate.
Great idea! I am often taken back when I see how people behave when ordering. Whether it be indecisiveness or rudeness.
Hiring someone for a position at Taylor's level would definitely call for a meal together. The way I am hiring now (designers, assistants) the meal isn't the right thing. Meeting in person is great if possible, but a meal doesn't have to be part of that.
I do, very much so, take into consideration how a person treats others. I'm not so hung up about manners but do believe how we treat one person is how we treat everyone. Including the waitress, especially since I have been one and know what that job entails.
Thanks for posting this; I read it this weekend and am glad to read others' comments and add my own.