Teaching Leadership How to Interview and Hire Candidates

 

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In my conversations and coaching as a thought leader with other leaders and, even in my experience as a job candidate over the years, I have noticed that many of us as leaders don’t really know how to effectively screen and interview candidates. This is a key skill, as not hiring the right individuals to build out your teams, taking too long to fill a position or failing to conduct a proper interview and turning down good candidates because you failed to interview them correctly are hugely costly mistakes. As a result, I thought that I would go through some of what I see as areas that many of us as leaders can improve on to make sure that we are filling our roles as efficiently and effectively as possible.

·         Not really understanding what you are looking for or need

o   I was made aware of a Midwest healthcare organization that has been looking for a Chief Information Officer for at least two years!

§  This is not a pipeline problem as my source that relayed this story to me stated that they had plenty of highly qualified candidates who have gone on to be very successful in CIO positions elsewhere after they were turned down by this organization.

§  Without being on the inside and knowing exactly what is going on, this seems to be a situation where the organization doesn’t really even know what they need or the hiring team can’t agree on what characteristics are a priority and, therefore, can’t come to agreement on a candidate. This is where the CEO as the leader needs to step up and be a leader and make a decision in the absence of complete agreement of their hiring team. This situation reflects poorly on the organization as a whole as it makes them really look incompetent.

·       Hiring managers/executives making interviews too much about themselves and not enough about the candidate

o   Interviews, by definition, are to find out about and get to know the candidate to assess their fit in the position and organization. Yes, there is an aspect of the interview where the candidate gets background information on the organization and the position, the interview should resist talking too much about themselves unless the candidate asks specific questions.

§  I actually heard of one leader who made the statement during an interview that he had forgotten more information about his industry than most people had ever known.

·       This can come off as arrogant and sets a very awkward tone and may cause you to lose a valuable candidate because they are put off by this.

·        Remember, the candidate is interviewing you as well

o   Be sure that you are listening to the candidate and what they are actually saying. If they are being too verbose or you would prefer the question to be answered in a certain way, be sure to let the candidate know that. Remember, the candidate has never met you before and doesn’t know exactly how you expect them to interact with them. This becomes even more complicated for the candidate if this is a phone or virtual interview as body language that would normally serve as cues is nonexistent.

§  Everyone is different, this includes interviewers, so set your expectations during the interview for how you expect the interview to go. Some leaders are more casual and want the interview to be more conversational. That is okay, just let the candidate know that upfront.              

§  Be open-minded. You never know when you are going to be pleasantly surprised!

·      Stay away from questions asking how the candidate would implement something or to assess issues with your organization.

o   The candidate only has the information about your organization that is publicly available. They don’t know what the needs or pain points of your organization are. Furthermore, it is unfair to expect them to solve those in the course of an interview even if you tell them what they are!

o   Instead, ask how they would come into your organization and assess needs. What is the process they would use to learn about deficiencies or opportunities, how they would go about prioritizing them, how would they confirm these with stakeholders, etc. The process and thinking behind that will tell you much more about the candidate than you could ever get from them solving a problem for you.

·        Be okay with “I don’t know” as an answer

o   Rarely is any candidate going to check all of the boxes. A candidate who is willing to be upfront and tell you that they know don’t something should be a positive sign rather than one who will try to bluff their way through the answer.

·       Make sure that your job description is updated for the current needs of the business and not just what the incumbent did. It is very likely that your business has changed since you hired the previous person in that role. This is the opportunity to incorporate those changes into the job description. Avoid falling into the trap of just trying to find the same person that you previously had.

Leveraging Business Intelligence for a Data-Driven Healthcare Future

 

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Coming up through the ranks in information technology (IT) as a database administrator and with a previous background in auditing and financial analysis, I found a special passion for business intelligence (BI). BI has an important ability to provide a competitive advantage by taking raw data (potentially from multiple, disparate sources) and putting context around it by organizing and aggregating data around descriptive attributes that can be used to filter and provide granular context around the data. This provides a competitive advantage in that the data is fresh (not necessarily real-time) and not at least 30 days old like financial statements and provides a decision maker with data that allows them to zoom in and make business-critical decisions quickly without having to search through myriad reports that may or may not give them the detail or context they need to make a decision. This can provide a business with the opportunity to identify trends and pivot before their competitors.

Specifically looking at today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, organizations must harness the power of data to remain competitive, improve patient outcomes, and streamline operations. BI has emerged as a critical tool in transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive strategic decision-making. For healthcare organization, the ability to extract meaningful intelligence from vast amounts of data can lead to improved efficiency, enhanced patient experiences, and a more resilient business model.

The Growing Importance of BI in Healthcare

The healthcare industry generates an immense amount of data daily—from patient records and claims processing to provider performance metrics and financial transactions. Without a robust BI strategy, this wealth of information remains underutilized, limiting an organization's ability to optimize processes and enhance service delivery.

BI tools consolidate disparate data sources, enabling leaders to gain a holistic view of operations. By leveraging data visualization, predictive analytics, and AI-driven insights, healthcare organizations can make data-informed decisions that lead to greater efficiency and improved care quality.

Key Benefits of BI for Healthcare Organizations

1. Enhanced Decision-Making
   BI enables healthcare leaders to analyze trends, forecast demand, and allocate resources more effectively. By identifying patterns in claims processing, patient behavior, and operational workflows, organizations can refine their strategies to improve outcomes. Additionally, this data can be used to look at the feasibility of offering additional (new) services or product lines.
2. Improving Patient Experience
   By analyzing patient interactions, feedback, and service utilization, BI tools help organizations personalize patient engagement. Tailored communication and proactive care recommendations improve patient satisfaction and loyalty.
3. Fraud Detection and Risk Mitigation
   Advanced analytics can help detect anomalies in claims and billing processes, identifying fraudulent activities before they escalate. This proactive approach reduces financial risks and ensures regulatory compliance.
4. Optimizing Operational Efficiency
   BI streamlines workflows by providing real-time insights into system performance, staffing needs, and service bottlenecks. Automated reporting eliminates manual processes, allowing staff to focus on more strategic initiatives.
5. Driving AI and Predictive Analytics
   The integration of AI with BI platforms enhances predictive modeling capabilities. This allows organizations to anticipate patient needs, optimize provider networks, and improve population health management.

Implementing a BI Strategy: Best Practices

1. Define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
   Establish clear metrics aligned with organizational goals, such as claims processing speed, provider network performance, and patient satisfaction scores.
2. Leverage AI-Driven Insights
   Integrate AI to enhance data analysis, enabling automated trend detection and decision support for leadership teams.
3. Ensure Data Accuracy and Security
   Implement robust data governance frameworks to maintain data integrity and comply with industry regulations such as HIPAA.
4. Foster a Data-Driven Culture
   Encourage cross-functional teams to use BI tools for decision-making, ensuring that data insights are leveraged across the organization.

Conclusion

As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, organizations must embrace Business Intelligence to stay ahead. By leveraging BI tools effectively, healthcare organizations can drive innovation, improve patient experiences, and ensure operational excellence. Investing in BI is not just about collecting data, it’s about transforming data into strategic advantage for a healthier, more efficient future.