Had to cut an interview short today. Everything was going great until the interviewer dropped the dreaded R-word: Responsibility.
Like, really? We’re talking about a once-in-a-lifetime employment opportunity here, and they want to focus on labor? Priorities, people…back to the jobs pool we go.
Talking about “Taking Responsibility” is a huge red flag.
I manage people. When I talk about responsibility, I’m talking about my responsibility to deliver results, because I am fucking expensive.
When my VP talks about responsibility, they had better be talking about their own responsibility, because they are even more expensive than I am.
A leader who talks about “getting others to take responsibility” immediately makes me assume they are overpaid. Taking responsibility is their whole job. They shouldn’t talk about it, they shouldn’t ask for help with it, they should be responsible, be likeable, hire good staff, and clear obstacles.
I find that when I choose to be the responsible person in the room, and I manage to be likeable - people tend to watch my back, and the things I said were important tend to get done.
Had to cut an interview short today. Everything was going great until the interviewer dropped the dreaded R-word: Responsibility.
Like, really? We’re talking about a once-in-a-lifetime employment opportunity here, and they want to focus on labor? Priorities, people…back to the jobs pool we go.
Yes!
Talking about “Taking Responsibility” is a huge red flag.
I manage people. When I talk about responsibility, I’m talking about my responsibility to deliver results, because I am fucking expensive.
When my VP talks about responsibility, they had better be talking about their own responsibility, because they are even more expensive than I am.
A leader who talks about “getting others to take responsibility” immediately makes me assume they are overpaid. Taking responsibility is their whole job. They shouldn’t talk about it, they shouldn’t ask for help with it, they should be responsible, be likeable, hire good staff, and clear obstacles.
I find that when I choose to be the responsible person in the room, and I manage to be likeable - people tend to watch my back, and the things I said were important tend to get done.