Hire Tomorrow’s Change Management Leaders, Today

No matter which industry your business serves, change is inevitable. From the launch of a new product, new competition, and even the introduction of new roles and team members, shifts in the business often means a change in the strategy that guides everyday decision-making within the organization.

By hiring candidates who demonstrate high levels of emotional intelligence you can make sure that your new hires can manage change with grace and adapt to changing circumstances while staying positive and productive. This applies not just to senior-level leadership, but also to managers and team leads.

Management’s Role in Fostering Change Management

Leadership within any business needs to be able to recognize the need for change (e.g., “we need to evaluate our employee performance regularly to increase productivity”).

Management also needs to be able to prepare action plans, which include measurable tasks such as conducting weekly 1:1 meetings to gather employee feedback and reevaluate business processes on a quarterly basis.

Leaders also need to be able to manage resistance to change. For example, a strong leader will be able to convince reluctant managers to implement regular performance reviews by presenting the advantages of frequent meetings and feedback.

One way to develop these qualities is to get your Change Style Indicator® and Change Navigator® Certification.

Change Management Interview Question Examples

The following change management interview questions will help you identify candidates who can successfully navigate change, both in day-to-day situations as well as large-scale projects and organizational pivots.

• How do you explain to team members that they have to alter a process or change course on a project immediately?
   
• Can you give an example of how you would request a change from your manager?
   
• Describe a time when you struggled to convince your team to change your goals and delegate tasks differently. What happened?
   

How to Assess Change Management Skills During Interviews

Determining a candidate’s ability to manage change can be difficult during a short interview. By keeping these key points in mind you can source the candidates who are not only qualified, but who will add real value to the organization during times of change:

New hires must face the task of transitioning from different work environments, with new team members, and new procedures. Look for candidates who describe how they’ve onboarded in different roles, as these individuals have faced a variety of new workplace changes and are more likely to be successful in their new role.

Candidates who ask you about what the role includes and how your organization operates are candidates who are ready to take on a new role. Listen for excitement and interest in their voices when they ask you these questions.

If you’re hiring for a C-Suite or executive role, make sure your candidates have experience implementing both preventative and corrective actions that involved both staff and company operations and processes.

Decision-making abilities are a critical component of change management. Ask candidates to analyze the pros and cons of a situation, compare alternatives, and reach logical conclusions throughout the course of your interview.

For more help learning to hire people who are open and flexible to change, subscribe to our newsletter! If you’re interested in learning to assess candidates for their emotional intelligence, change management abilities, and to make smarter hiring decisions, register for one of our upcoming certification courses.