Ensuring the Perfect Fit: How to Use the Delegate and Elevate Tool in Interviews

Ensuring the Perfect Fit: How to Use the Delegate and Elevate Tool in Interviews

Have you ever had someone pass a job interview with flying colours, only to realise they were not the right person or in the right seat?

Some of my clients use the Delegate and Elevate tool as an additional filter to get the right person on the bus.

During a job interview, the Delegate and Elevate tool can be a creative way to evaluate if a candidate’s strengths, preferences, and potential job responsibilities correspond with the position you seek. To implement and use this tool in the context of job interviews, follow these steps:

1. Define the Role’s Quadrants

Before the interview, determine the tasks and responsibilities associated with your recruiting role. Based on the ideal candidate profile, categorise them into the Delegate and Elevate quadrants. (Love/Great, Like/Good, Don’t Like/Good, Don’t Like/Not Good). This helps you identify which duties are essential for the role and necessitate high proficiency and enthusiasm.

2. Craft Interview Questions

Prepare interview questions that help you comprehend the candidate’s skills and passions. Ask about:

– Past Experiences: Inquire about tasks they excelled at or enjoyed in previous roles.

– Scenario-Based Tasks: Present hypothetical scenarios relevant to the job’s responsibilities. Observe how they would prioritise or handle specific tasks, which can provide insight into their preferences and strengths.

– Self-Assessment: Directly ask candidates to list tasks or responsibilities they love and are great at and those they don’t enjoy or excel in. Compare these to the role’s quadrants.

3. Evaluate for Cultural and Role Fit

Evaluate candidates’ responses against the role’s Love/Great and Like/Good quadrants. The ideal candidate should possess strengths and interests that correspond with these categories. This alignment suggests they will be effective and satisfied in their role.

4. Consider the Potential for Growth and Development

Pay attention to tasks in the candidate’s Don’t Like/Good quadrant. These are areas where a candidate might be proficient but lack passion. Evaluate whether these tasks are crucial to the role and whether there’s potential for the candidate to delegate them in the future or grow to enjoy them with time.

5. Use Behavioural and Competency-Based Assessments

Incorporate assessments or exercises that evaluate the candidate’s competency in tasks from the Love/Great and Like/Good quadrants. This practical evaluation complements the interview discussions and provides a more holistic view of the candidate’s fit for the role.

6. Discuss Growth and Development Opportunities

Discuss how the role can evolve to further align with the candidate’s strengths and interests. This helps evaluate the candidate’s long-term potential and demonstrates your commitment to their growth and satisfaction.

7. Feedback and Reflection

Post-interview, reflect on the candidate’s answers and your observations. Consider if and how the candidate’s preferences and strengths can complement your team’s needs and culture. It’s also an opportunity to consider the team dynamics and how this new role could enable others to delegate tasks they need to be more passionate about or proficient in.

By utilising the Delegate and Elevate tool in this way, you can significantly improve the hiring process. It ensures that you’re evaluating candidates based on their current skills and considering their potential for growth, passion for the work, and overall fit within the team and organisation.