Crafting Interview Questions That Promote Equity

Most companies spend millions seeking diversity in hiring, then methodically crush diversity of thought. The true competitive advantage isn't just who you hire—it's letting them remain gloriously, disruptively themselves. After working with visionary leaders at Google, The Hershey Company, and the Minnesota Vikings, I've discovered that the most innovative organizations don't just tolerate their rule-breakers and square pegs—they celebrate them. These are visionary thinkers and leaders who lift your organization to new heights. Those rebellious, obsessive, audacious individuals whose character traits are typically seen as "vices" but are actually the foundations of their genius. Want to create a hiring environment where innovators can unleash their full potential? Here are seven questions empathetic leaders ask in interviews: 1. "What aspect of your identity is most important to you and why?" Visionary leaders and innovators often have multiple identities and take pride in all of them. This question acknowledges their complexity and signals they can bring their whole selves to work. 2. "What do people tell you about yourself that's supposed to be an insult, but you're secretly proud of?" Since childhood, most visionary thinkers have been told to shape up and stop being so … odd. For them, being misunderstood is almost a badge of honor. 3. "What are some challenging situations that brought out your best qualities?" Innovators often thrive in conditions others find burdensome; this shows how they transform obstacles into opportunities. 4. "What's your guilty pleasure or unusual interest?" Unique preoccupations often suggest a keen mind. When leaders show curiosity rather than judgment about these quirks, they create psychological safety. 5. "Would you feel comfortable being the only person like you on a team?" Great innovators often love being the square peg in the round hole—the tarantula on the wedding cake. 6. "What could we be doing better, and how would you fix it?" Innovators typically have strong opinions and innovative solutions. This invites constructive disruption. 7. "What's the one thing you will always fight for, no matter the cost?" This reveals character and values. Many innovators and visionaries have fought to be seen and respected. Understanding what they stand for helps align their passion with your mission. The organizations that will thrive in our volatile world aren't just diverse in appearance—they're diverse in thought. They've created cultures where misfits, rebels, and visionaries can flourish without buffing down their prickly edges. Because true innovation doesn't come from making everyone the same… …it comes from embracing the gloriously disruptive potential of those who see the world differently. Motto®

Want to know one of the easiest and most impactful shifts you can make to your hiring process to better include many neurodivergent and disabled individuals? Send interview questions ahead of time. Unless you’re hiring for someone who will be doing on-camera media interviews, you don’t need to be assessing someone’s ability to answer questions on the spot under pressure. Getting the questions ahead of time means that everyone gets an equal opportunity to prepare and present their best selves. For many neurodivergent and disabled individuals, having time to process information and formulate responses can significantly reduce anxiety, processing time, and/or cognitive overload and to ensure they are able to give thoughtful responses. It means that you are assessing experience, approach, and expertise; instead of interviewing skills. It’s super easy to implement and you’ll be surprised by the increase in well rated candidates and positive candidate feedback. Some frequently asked questions and concerns I get in response to this recommendation: 〰 What if the role requires quick decision-making and problem-solving under pressure? When it's important to assess these skills, a combined approach can be used. Provide some questions ahead of time to ensure inclusivity and fairness, and include a few spontaneous questions during the interview to gauge on-the-spot thinking. 〰 Won't candidates over-prepare and give rehearsed answers? Preparation allows candidates to present their best selves, which can be more reflective of their true abilities. Interviewers can still ask follow-up questions to probe deeper and ensure authenticity. 〰 Doesn't this give an unfair advantage to those with more preparation time? Providing questions in advance helps level the playing field for neurodivergent and disabled individuals who may need more time to process information. It’s about creating an equitable process that considers diverse needs. You can also let candidates know that this is part of your process so that folks who may need additional time can request it as an accommodation. 〰 How do I do this logistically? Establish a process to send interview questions to all candidates, ensuring each candidate receives them the same amount of time before their interview. Use email scheduling to manage this efficiently. Make the shift. See the difference. It's that simple!

The key to designing powerful interview questions is to focus on cognitive patterns rather than past accomplishments. Research shows strong connections between certain thinking patterns and job success. For example: • Original thinking strongly predicts innovation ability • Intellectual independence correlates with leadership effectiveness • Perseverance consistently outperforms raw intelligence in predicting achievement These research findings demonstrate why carefully crafted questions matter. To develop your high-impact questions, focus on five cognitive domains that predict exceptional performance. Follow this formula to create questions that uncover thinking patterns, not just experience: 💡 Design questions targeting original thinking: Ask about problems candidates see that others miss. Format: "What [challenge/opportunity/trend] do you notice that seems overlooked by most people in [relevant context]?" This reveals pattern recognition and the capacity for novel insights. 💡 Craft questions probing intellectual independence: Encourage candidates to articulate contrarian but thoughtful positions. Format: "Where do you find yourself disagreeing with conventional wisdom about [relevant domain]?" This assesses courage and independent analysis. 💡 Develop questions that examine perseverance: Structure questions around specific obstacles that have been overcome. Format: "Tell me about a time when you pursued [relevant goal] despite [specific type of setback]." Focus on process over outcome. 💡 Create questions measuring intellectual flexibility: Ask candidates to describe evolution in their thinking. Format: "What important belief about [relevant domain] have you revised recently and what prompted this change?" This evaluates adaptability and learning orientation. 💡 Formulate questions exploring intrinsic motivation: Probe self-directed development activities. Format: "How do you invest in developing [relevant skill/knowledge] when it's not required by your role?" This reveals a proactive growth mindset. The most effective questions avoid hypotheticals and instead target specific behavioral patterns that reveal how candidates actually think and operate. That's how you can develop interview questions that identify true potential—uncovering the cognitive patterns that transcend resume qualifications. Coaching can help; let's chat.  Follow Joshua Miller #executivecoaching #interviewing #careeradvice