> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://maybegreat.gitbook.io/maybegreat/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://maybegreat.gitbook.io/maybegreat/second-brain/talking-to-people/questions.md). # Questions ## Talking to People Maintain eye-contact. ### What do you like to do? ### What do you not like to do? ### Tell me something that's truth that nobody agrees with you on. ### What was the last thing you learned about yourself? **Follow up:** * How did this learning came to you? * How do you apply this in your life? ### What are you afraid off when you join a new social/work group? ### What makes you come to work? ### What is easy? ### What challenges you? ### How do you learn? ### What are you most proud of in your life? **Follow up:** * How about in your career? ### What has been your biggest loss? **Follow up:** * What was your biggest failure? * What is the biggest failure you have been a part of? ### What kinds of people do you want to meet right now? **Follow up:** * What's something you want to receive from the group? * And, what's something you can give to the group? * If you could meet anyone you wanted to who would it be? ### What problems interest you? What problems are you looking to solve? **Follow up:** * In here (were we to hire you)? * In your life? ### What problems do you have? **Context:** Understand what the person perceives as problems. ### **What do you want to have happen to the business?** **Context:** Useful for executive hires. ## Talking to Co-Founder / Long-term Project Members Setting up expectations with people you'll have to be tight like criminals in a shared cell. ### **Why do you want to do this startup?** * What are your personal goals here, both financial and non-financial? * What are your long-term goals in life? * What is your overall life plan and how does this startup fit into it? ### **Are there pressures in your life that you’re dealing with now?** ### Who would you pick to start the company with if you could pick anyone in the world? * What makes you most excited about working with me? * What makes you concerned about working with me? * What’s the best way for me to give you feedback? * When you feel stressed, do you tend to want to talk about what’s going on or avoid talking about it? ### What environment do you work best in? * What can we do to help you create it? ### **How will we divide responsibilities?** * Who will be CEO? * What will our roles and titles be? * We should have a plan for what you’ll each work on for the first 6-12 months. ### **How will we split up equity?** ### **Where will the company be based?** * Where will we each live? * Will we work together in-person or remotely? ### **How do we pick the idea to work on?** * If that idea doesn’t work out, are you willing to change the idea? * Are you only interested in working on ideas in certain areas? ### **What needs to happen for each of us to go full-time (quit other jobs or school commitments)?** * ie: We’d have to raise at least $xx from investors, we’d need to validate the idea with a paying customer ### **What is your personal financial situation?** * Are you willing to work for free and live on your savings? For how long? * If you'll need a salary to work on this full-time (either now or at some point), how much do you need to feel comfortable? * Will either of us put money into the company? ### **What will our typical working schedule be?** * what days we work, what hours / day, etc? * How long do we want to keep that up? * Are there any things outside of work that are important to you to make time for? ### What is important to you when building a team? * building an in-person vs remote company * having certain cultural values * having a particular approach to hiring or managing people ### **What will we do if we’re having trouble agreeing on an important decision?** * What will happen if we decide we don’t want to work together anymore? ### How would your friends or colleagues describe your strengths and weaknesses? * Do reference calls on each other. * Meet in person * Do a trial project * Meet friends / partner ### **What are you proud of having accomplished (can be work-related or not)?** ### **What do you do with your free time?** * What are your hobbies and interests? * One of the surprising things about successful co-founders is how consistently they have overlapping outside-of-work interests. ### **What are companies, founders, or products you really admire?** * Are there any you want to model this company after? ### **What were your experiences like at your past jobs or past startups?** * What did you like and not like about how the companies were run? * What lessons did you take away? * Have you worked with a co-founder previously? What was that experience like? ### **How have your experiences shaped your values?** ### **What kind of work is so fun for you it doesn’t feel like work?** ### **What kind of work do you avoid doing?** *** ## Talking to People about Other People When doing due diligence. Apply before starting a business relationship. The higher the position, the more trust you need to have. ### How does this person compare to the best you’ve ever seen in the role? **Follow up:** * What is something that \[candidate] is better at than anyone else you've worked with in this role * How many people have you worked with in \[candidate’s] role/level? * How would you rank \[candidate] among their peers? * What is something that \[candidate] is better at than anyone else you've worked with in this role? * What type of advice would you go to \[candidate] for? ### On a scale of 1 - 5 (where 5 is absolutely perfect), how would you rank this person? I stick by 1-5 rating, without half-sizes. Challenge an easy five by calling it "absolute perfect." **Follow up:** * On a scale of 1 - 5, how do you rate XYZ on \[specific trait or ability]? * What is the reason you did not rate XYZ (insert a number that is 1-2 points higher/lower)? ### Can you tell me about a project that would have failed without \[candidate]? ### What is your most memorable experience working with this candidate? **Follow up:** * How about when not working? * Tell me something about CANDIDATE that might not be listed on their resume or LinkedIn. ### Would you rehire this person? Look for enthusiasm when they talk about the candidate more than the answer itself. **Follow up:** * On: "Yes." - Ok, why haven't you? * Would you rehire them for the same role? For a different role? * Would you invest your own personal money in this person? Why or why not? * What was the context of why you stopped working together? ### Can you share an experience where \[candidate] really blew your mind? **Follow up:** * What is the candidate’s superpower? * What themes do you see in the candidate's feedback and 360 reviews? ### What was an experience where you saw the candidate grow? **Follow up:** * What might still be the candidate's growth areas? * If you were to design an ideal role for this person, what would it be? ### Do you have any examples of times when the candidate demonstrated grit? Not giving up? ### Explain the role at length and what success looks like in the first year. Do you think that \[candidate] will thrive in that position? ### Tell me about a time when you saw this leader build a new team. **Follow up:** * They said they did it at the company. Can you tell me what you observed? * What was something unique about this candidate's team versus other teams? ### Does \[candidate] thrive as a team player or a lone wolf? ### In which kinds of projects or work is \[candidate] most effective? **Follow up:** * Which situations are more challenging? * What causes the candidate stress or friction? * What environments do they thrive in, and where would they be less effective? * What "special treatment" helps \[candidate] do their best work? ### Can you tell me about a time that the candidate missed a deadline? ### How does the candidate deal with giving and receiving criticism? **Follow up:** * How does this person deal with differences in opinion? * Can you share someone who maybe doesn’t necessarily get along with \[candidate] as well as you do? Why do you think they don’t mesh well? * What was \[candidate’s] reputation within the organization or department? * Among customers? ### How do you think I can best support this person to make sure they thrive here **Follow up:** * How do you build trust with this person? * How would I know when \[candidate] is unhappy? * What motivates this candidate? ## Moving In - Moving Out Finding a new place to live. Renting or buying, you want to ask a few questions of the owner or the current tenants. ### Why are you moving out? ### How noisy does it get around here? ### What is and what isn't included in the price? * Utilities, which utilities * Application fees, move in fees ### Any plans for construction? ### What's the neighbhourhood like? ### What policies do you have? * Guest policy * Subleasing policy * Thrash policy * Smoking policy * Pet policy ### How do I pay you?