I am a big fan of Inc. magazine. In their October edition, columnist Jeff Haden identifies three questions that great job applicants ask during the interview process. As I read them, I also thought about how church leaders should constantly being asking these questions in their leadership gatherings.
Haden’s top three questions are:
- What Do You Expect Me To Accomplish In The First 60 To 90 Days? – You never have to recover from a good start. Haden points out that this shows potential employers that a person wants to hit the ground running. While it is too late for most church leaders to ask what they can do in their first 60 to 90 days, it is totally reasonable to ask what am I going to prioritize and accomplish in the NEXT 60 to 90 days. Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, said in his book Leadership Axioms, “‘What is the greatest contributions I can make to Willow Creek Community Church in the next six weeks?’ I wanted to know what decisions and initiatives only I could accomplish, which services we needed to hit out of the park, which staff issues I absolutely had to address, and so forth.”
- What Are The Common Attributes Of Your Top Performers? – All great organizations want team members who are not only a good fit, but also wish to excel at their task.
- What Are A Few Things That Drive Results For The Company? – This is a ROI question. Quality employees wish to exceed all expectations. As John Maxwell teaches in The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership, the Law of Priorities states that leaders never confuse activity with accomplishment.
So if you are currently looking for employment, make sure you ask the three questions above.
If you are in church leadership, make sure you ask these questions in your next leadership meeting? I’ve got one coming up Monday night!
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