Craig Groeschel

And so one of my kind of, it's actually a real goal is at the end of an interview, anytime one of my guests says like, oh my gosh, do you ask me a question I've never been asked before? I consider that a real win. And that happens more often than not. And because it's actually a goal. And here's the thing, I can't plan those questions. I can't just sit there.

I'm going to ask them some random dumb, some questions they've never been asked. What I have to do is I have to listen with full contact aversion. And so when I go into an interview now, I have about five questions down. And that's their fallback questions. Like if I hit a wall and sometimes you do, it's like, okay, and then I've got something to go to.

I'm going to ask them some random dumb, some questions they've never been asked. What I have to do is I have to listen with full contact aversion. And so when I go into an interview now, I have about five questions down. And that's their fallback questions. Like if I hit a wall and sometimes you do, it's like, okay, and then I've got something to go to.

I'm going to ask them some random dumb, some questions they've never been asked. What I have to do is I have to listen with full contact aversion. And so when I go into an interview now, I have about five questions down. And that's their fallback questions. Like if I hit a wall and sometimes you do, it's like, okay, and then I've got something to go to.

But I want to be totally engaged in the conversation. And again, I'm going to tell you a little bit of strategy. I usually ask, The first question is like, tell me when you first saw yourself as a leader. What I'm doing is I'm getting them to tell a story because even the best are nervous. And so that kind of helps them feel more comfortable. And they like to tell a story and stories are engaging.

But I want to be totally engaged in the conversation. And again, I'm going to tell you a little bit of strategy. I usually ask, The first question is like, tell me when you first saw yourself as a leader. What I'm doing is I'm getting them to tell a story because even the best are nervous. And so that kind of helps them feel more comfortable. And they like to tell a story and stories are engaging.

But I want to be totally engaged in the conversation. And again, I'm going to tell you a little bit of strategy. I usually ask, The first question is like, tell me when you first saw yourself as a leader. What I'm doing is I'm getting them to tell a story because even the best are nervous. And so that kind of helps them feel more comfortable. And they like to tell a story and stories are engaging.

And then anytime I get to something that's interesting, like a lot of times they'll talk for two minutes, three minutes, four minutes, and there'll be like a sentence that's pure gold. And I'll hear it, and they don't even know how brilliant it is because it's just intuitive to them. I write that thing down. And then I'll say, when they're thrilled, I'll repeat it back. Hey, you said this thing.

And then anytime I get to something that's interesting, like a lot of times they'll talk for two minutes, three minutes, four minutes, and there'll be like a sentence that's pure gold. And I'll hear it, and they don't even know how brilliant it is because it's just intuitive to them. I write that thing down. And then I'll say, when they're thrilled, I'll repeat it back. Hey, you said this thing.

And then anytime I get to something that's interesting, like a lot of times they'll talk for two minutes, three minutes, four minutes, and there'll be like a sentence that's pure gold. And I'll hear it, and they don't even know how brilliant it is because it's just intuitive to them. I write that thing down. And then I'll say, when they're thrilled, I'll repeat it back. Hey, you said this thing.

I want to, and I'll draw attention to it. I may actually even summarize it. And I help. the listener to know how brilliant it is what they said. And then I'll just say like, hey, tell me more about that. And that's how I can bring people, bring the best out of them. And you can do this with a team member. You're talking to somebody and you're listening at a deeper level.

I want to, and I'll draw attention to it. I may actually even summarize it. And I help. the listener to know how brilliant it is what they said. And then I'll just say like, hey, tell me more about that. And that's how I can bring people, bring the best out of them. And you can do this with a team member. You're talking to somebody and you're listening at a deeper level.

I want to, and I'll draw attention to it. I may actually even summarize it. And I help. the listener to know how brilliant it is what they said. And then I'll just say like, hey, tell me more about that. And that's how I can bring people, bring the best out of them. And you can do this with a team member. You're talking to somebody and you're listening at a deeper level.

And you have to remember when you're asking them questions, like literally a team member, they might feel defensive. And so I said it before, but I wanna talk more about it. You wanna create a climate of like safety and trust and intimacy. And so sometimes you're gonna have a developmental conversation with someone.

And you have to remember when you're asking them questions, like literally a team member, they might feel defensive. And so I said it before, but I wanna talk more about it. You wanna create a climate of like safety and trust and intimacy. And so sometimes you're gonna have a developmental conversation with someone.

And you have to remember when you're asking them questions, like literally a team member, they might feel defensive. And so I said it before, but I wanna talk more about it. You wanna create a climate of like safety and trust and intimacy. And so sometimes you're gonna have a developmental conversation with someone.

They're not doing a great job, there's room for improvement, and you're gonna have a difficult developmental conversation. And so what I'll do in that is I'm gonna come in, I'm gonna ask them questions. I'm not gonna try to tell them, here's what you're doing wrong, but I'm trying to ask them questions to help them discover their own growth areas. And so here's what's gonna happen.

They're not doing a great job, there's room for improvement, and you're gonna have a difficult developmental conversation. And so what I'll do in that is I'm gonna come in, I'm gonna ask them questions. I'm not gonna try to tell them, here's what you're doing wrong, but I'm trying to ask them questions to help them discover their own growth areas. And so here's what's gonna happen.

They're not doing a great job, there's room for improvement, and you're gonna have a difficult developmental conversation. And so what I'll do in that is I'm gonna come in, I'm gonna ask them questions. I'm not gonna try to tell them, here's what you're doing wrong, but I'm trying to ask them questions to help them discover their own growth areas. And so here's what's gonna happen.

You have a conversation like that, And they're going to feel some heat. And so in the meeting, you want to lower the temperature. So I'll start sometimes and say, hey, what I want you to know right now is you're not in trouble. No one's losing their job today. We're here because I value you. I believe in you. I believe there's more in you.