It happens. Some people are better interviewing than they are at doing their job. REALLY!
A young woman interviewed for her first real job. She interviewed well. She was dynamic, take-charge: surely she would do her job the same way as she interviewed, so thought the committee.
The first month the company looked for the candidate they thought they hired.
She was MIA – missing in action.
The second month they thought, surely they will see the candidate they thought they had hired. Not so much.
Months 3-6 were spent waiting. Surely that dynamic, assertive and strong candidate would re-appear. Still waiting.
Juxtapose that scenario with this one: a C-level person interviewed for and was hired for a new job. He interviewed well, lots of energy and enthusiasm. He got the job.
He sat down in my office and said, “Now I have to deliver the brand I promised”. He was right. While not the energizer bunny, he had implicitly made a promise.
He had promised the experience of high energy. Now he had to deliver.
If you open a soda pop can, and it does not fizz, you will be disappointed. Branding is the promise of an experience.
In both cases, the candidates interviewed at a higher level of energy and dynamism than they have on a day to day basis. Here is why this is important:
The more consistent we are with our verbal, vocal and visual performance, the faster we can move forward with our audience. The more inconsistent, the longer it will take to move our message through the communication process. In communication we call this being congruent or incongruent.
Think about it. If one time our Board audience sees us and we are high energy and the next time we don’t talk, the Board does not know which one is authentic or which one will show up next time. This slows down forward movement.
Interviews are like tests. Some people don’t test well but can do the work. Others test well, but the work product doesn’t match the interview product. The more consistent you are in your verbal, vocal, and visual, the more consistent in small group and big group, formal and informal, the faster you or your message can move through the communication process.
What kind of experience does your brand promise?
