Techniques Nov-Dec 2012 - 11

Leadership Matters

goals for themselves. The key is for the director to identify his or her needs first and then to look for applicants who best demonstrate competencies that can meet those needs. Public Impact, a K–12 educational consulting group, itemizes clusters of competencies that research has identified as key characteristics in the most effective teachers, regardless of their field of expertise. Certain competencies are considered most important (italicized in the box below), such as an ability to set challenging goals and to reach a high standard; however, the other identified competencies, like teamwork and belief in learning potential, also contribute to the makings of a good teacher.

Conducting the Behavioral Event Interview
Research indicates that past behaviors are the best predictor of how someone will act

Driving for Results Cluster: These enable a relentless focus on learning results. • • • • Achievement Initiative and persistence Monitoring and directiveness Planning ahead

Influencing for Results Cluster: These enable working through and with others. • Impact and influence • Interpersonal understanding • Teamwork Problem Solving Cluster: These enable solving and simplifying complex problems. • Analytical thinking • Conceptual thinking Personal Effectiveness Cluster: These enable success in a highly challenging situation. • • • • Belief in learning potential Self-control Self-confidence Flexibility

in the future.1 Thus, hypothetical-scenario questions such as, “What would you do if ?” should be avoided. Instead, questions that uncover what the candidate has actually done in the past and in as much detail as possible should be asked. The goal of this behavioral event interview (BEI) is to elicit a real story. Often, once a candidate begins explaining an event or experience that has already occurred, instead of trying to make up a story about what he or she might do, the candidate tends to relax and become much more forthcoming. Furthermore, utilizing even more probing questioning techniques will yield an even more detailed understanding of the candidate. That is, once the interviewee begins a story, clarifying questions should be asked to prompt detailed responses, therefore assuring the interviewer that the information gathered is representative of the candidate’s true skills and competencies. In turn, the interviewer is able to evaluate and score the candidate much more thoroughly and accurately and to reveal the candidate’s true potential for effectiveness in the classroom. With a minimal investment of training, school leaders can quickly learn to use BEI tools to improve the hiring process. The Mississippi State University Research and Curriculum Unit, through its High Performance Leadership Institute (HPLI), has implemented this training in an intensive school-leader course, and the feedback from participants confirms the hiring technique is effective. Kim Chrestman, HPLI participant and superintendent of Water Valley School District in Water Valley, Mississippi, has used the hiring process for an administrative position. According to Chrestman, “Listening to the applicants and scoring them with the rubric really helped separate and identify the differences between the candidates.” Chrestman also explained that rubrics and BEI techniques help hiring committees “recognize the obvious choice.” Resources abound to help CTE directors improve the hiring process. In addi-

tion to evaluating resumes for skills and experience, learning to conduct BEIs is not difficult to master and requires minimal training and practice. While using this method will not eliminate every bad hire, these management tools and processes will absolutely improve directors’ successes and, at the very least, provide them a much deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their new instructors before they begin. From that platform, mentoring and professional-development activities can be structured and targeted from day one to fill the competency gaps identified during the interview process.

Julie Jordan is director of the Research and Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University. She can be contacted at julie.jordan@rcu.msstate.edu. Kristen Dechert is editor and writer for the Research and Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University. She can be contacted at kristen.dechert@rcu.msstate.edu. Heather Wainwright is editor and writer for the Research and Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University. She can be contacted at heather.wainwright@rcu.msstate.edu.

Endnotes
1. Spencer, L. M., & Spencer, S. M. Competence at Work: Models for Superior Performance. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1993.

References
Public Impact. (2008). “School Turnaround Leaders: Selection Toolkit.” School Turnaround Collection. Spencer, L. M., & Spencer, S. M. Competence at Work: Models for Superior Performance. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1993. Green, P. C. Actions Speak: The Newest Ideas in Behavior-Based Interviewing. Des Moines: Media Learning International, 2012.

Julie Jordan will be presenting the 1-hour Idea Lab, “Do Your CTE Teachers Have the ‘Right Stuff’?” at CareerTech VISION 2012. For more programming information, visit www.careertechvision.com.

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November/December 2012

Techniques

Techniques Nov-Dec 2012

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