“What are you better at than me?”
When you’re hiring, the last thing you need is a clone of yourself who nods and agrees with everything you say, or a puppet who will dance to your tune. You need someone who you can challenge, who will challenge you back and who is going to expand the capability of your team. Not just do a job, but think about what you’ve asked them to do and come up with better ways.
Hiring someone who is better than you (at one thing or at everything) will improve, not diminish your profile in your organisation. It doesn’t mean that person wants your job, but it might mean they have ambitions that will help your business grow and they will move into positions of greater responsibility. Even leave you behind perhaps. But others will remember who recruited them and you can always take credit for that.
This is different from loyalty - you don't want someone who's going to stab you in the back, but someone who is open about the excellence they bring to the business.
The question itself is interesting, because it shows what insight the candidate has into your business and what they bring. It may illicit thoughts about what's lacking and what improvements are needed. Of course, it may also flesh out their enthusiasm and competence for the role. Or arrogance, timidness, thoughtfulness, kindness, hard-working, sloppiness, politic and more. If they are going to say what they are better at they might want to display some humility and be careful about how they phrase their answer.
I love the question, as you can tell.
Please don’t hire people who slot into a role and who make you feel safe; find people who will grow the role, grow your business and challenge you.
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