Mutisya entered the interview room at a chaotic tech firm based in Nairobi. He then proceeded to nod enthusiastically at every remark from the interview panel.
The lead interviewer highlighted the firm's traditional approach to project management and strict following of what they had deemed tried and true effectiveness of top-down decision-making.
Mutisya dared not challenge those claims during the interview and instead wanted to appear nice and easy to manage. The interview panel recorded in their notes that Mutisya never asked questions and never even disagreed.
Ironically, Mutisya himself believed that a more collaborative approach would be ideal for projects in today’s modern East Africa professional environment.
His reserved approached caused the interview to continue without insight or depth, and the interviewers never sensed Mutisya's critical thinking ability.
By the conclusion of the interview, Mutisya merely parroted the interviewer's every word and departed the firm’s offices without once demonstrating new ideas or creative problem-solving skills.
He failed to secure a position.
Nyambura, on the other hand, went to her interview with a reserved openness to disagree healthily with the interview panel. When the interview panel offered a proposed product launch timetable that, based on her own industry experience, seemed too long to be effective, Nyambura hesitated briefly, then inquired politely if she might offer a different view.
She then proceeded diplomatically to propose a tighter short schedule based on iterative testing and agile feedback loops.
Her proposal spawned a spirited discussion that examined potential problems, resources, and teamwork approaches. Rather than shaking the interview panel, instead Nyambura's composure and deference demonstrated maturity and a willingness to operate within organisational constraints.
That she was willing to challenge the initial timeline demonstrated a true enthusiasm for change and impressed the panel, bringing focus to her application. She received a job offer.
Caroline Stokes researched such scenarios and discovered that applicants who nod excessively in agreement during job interviews actually have extreme long-term issues.
Statistics indicated that a majority of new hires feel ambushed when they are hired in organisations where they keep their own reservations quiet.
Even the employers are likely to forfeit opportunities for change when candidates opt for compliant safety rather than brave constructive dissent.
The researcher collected stories of hiring managers who welcomed honesty but were met only by candidates who were not willing or not able to communicate their own dissent.
That gap in firms had been generating mismatches between perceived and actual company cultures. Such gaps disenchant new hires and hinder organisational forward momentum.
The research proved robust by gathering data from diverse industries and job levels then matching managerial accounts of successful recruitment with employees' recollections of job turnover. Then interviews and surveys were conducted with professionals and turnover trends reviewed.
The above evidence demonstrates that positive, constructive, and honest conversations during job interview processes actually foretells better retention and greater fit of job candidates over the life of their tenure at a firm. Candidates who had such open interview conversations also had less difficult onboarding and greater trust in supervisors.
On the contrary, most of the other type employees who were more quiet and were overly polite in job interviews later reported lamentations that the initial months in a new job position were full of negative surprises since interviews never included real conversation.
If you are seeking a new job and are interviewing and want to stick to best practices proved by science, proceed and politely challenge an interviewer. But in doing so, do not lose your cool.
First, before your interview, begin by learning about the firm in depth forming your own view and preparing counterarguments. A useful approach in an interview is to say, pleasantly, "I see another choice. Could I share my version?"
That gracious reply uses psychological techniques and invites interest instead of defensiveness. You must then answer by citing evidence and applicable experience rather than mere conjecture, and of course all with professional courtesy.
By using simple, measured disagreements such kind confrontation rarely agitates employers, provided your feedback in the interview rests on reasoned conclusions.
Assertive and yet humble attitudes tend to signal flexibility and strategic thinking ability to interview panels. Human resource professionals and corporate executive leadership teams maximise performance by establishing respectful disagreement as a standard in interviews.
In-house executive training programmes that emphasise open-ended questioning encourage managers to embrace innovative observation rather than punishing disagreement.
Interview panels and recruiters must learn to build open-minded postures that provoke reflective conversations with those they interview.
Organisations also benefit from including interviewing feedback loops, which reinforce managers who are disposed to avoiding stiff question-and-answer sessions.That change to open communication renders a culture where constructive arguments inject the hiring process with energy.
Most job candidates in recruitment processes overlook that an interview is a two-way avenue of information, talent, and cultural fit. Interviews should not be one-sided.
The process welcomes authenticity and accuracy if both parties engage in honest, sincere communication. Candidates will then have a better idea of what the workplaces of the future hold, and companies learn about the potential of prospective employees to introduce valuable innovation.
Courteous disagreement marks maturity, helps learning, and promotes harmonious working relationships.
Have a management or leadership issue, question, or challenge? Reach out to Dr. Scott through @ScottProfessor on X or on email [email protected]
