Behavior or Theory? (Behavior)

by Andrew Watson

Over my career in schools and search, I’ve watched school leaders learn, and then use, behavioral questions rather than theoretical questions as they meet and assess job candidates for their schools. This means an increase in questions like:

• “Give me an example of a time when . . . “
• “Who did you first confer with when you discovered that . . .”
• “What did you do when a valued colleague last . . . ”

And fewer theoretical questions like:

• “What is your approach to . . .”?
• “Walk me through your resume . . .”
• “What is your philosophy about . . .”

Not all members of search committees, including parents, alumni, and board members, know about this shift in approach, and part of our responsibility as search consultants is explaining the greater value found in answers to behavioral questions.?

Here’s an irony, though: the very same school leaders who understand this behavioral interview approach are eventually asked, when they themselves are job applicants, “What questions do you have for the search committee about the school or the search process?” And they often then revert to weaker questions.

The worst answer here? “What are you looking for in your next head of school?” You can see the air go out of the room or Zoom meeting: the answer to this question can already be found in the Opportunity Statement for the position and is amplified by the questions the committee just finished asking the candidate.

Another common question: “How will you measure success a year after the new head of school has arrived?” There is some value in this, but it rarely leads to interesting information.

Behavioral questions at this “it-is-your-turn” moment would be so much richer. For example:

• “What did you and the previous head of school do the last time there was an issue that could impact the school’s reputation in the community?”
• “How did the board react, with the head of school, the last time there were disappointing enrollment or admission results?”
• “How does the board stay informed about key personnel decisions, particularly when the head of school has to dismiss a teacher?”?
• “What happened the last time that there were strong disagreements among board members?”

These questions bear much better fruit than “Tell me about the board-head relationship?” or “How is the governance at the school?” Of course, they are also more aggressive, but they show strength in a candidate. I’m suggesting this approach with candidates as they prepare for interviews, and I’m impressed by their subsequent thoughtful questions.

Of course, there is always irony in life. Forgetting behavioral questions in these moments seems to be the norm. And while we believe in the transferability of knowledge from one setting to another for students, we sometimes fail to apply it ourselves.

Now, of course, if any search chairs I’m meeting read this, they will be more likely to ask me, as they investigate whether we will partner together in a search, “What did you do the last time a candidate…” or “How did you react the last time differing members of a search committee…” and the like. That would be a good thing!

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