Talent

Daniel recalls that he first learned from Tyler this question for prospective hires: “What is it you do to practice that is analogous to how a pianist practices scales?”

As you present your questions and listen to the candidate’s stories in response, note whether the interviewee uses unusual expressions, seems to be coining their own phrases, explains basic concepts in a way different from what you might hear in the mainstream, speaks as if they are developing useful memes, has unusual rhythmic patterns to their sp

“What views do you hold almost irrationally?”

“How ambitious are you?”

In essence there is a scarcity of talented labor relative to capital, as evidenced by the relative plenty of venture capital and what economists call “the savings glut.”

In our many conversations, we have come to see the world’s inability to find and mobilize enough talent as one of the most significant failures of our time, and so this is also a book about how to fight for social justice. A world of rampant inequality and insufficient opportunity is, among other things, a world failing to recognize and mobilize ta

“What are ten words your spouse or partner or friend would use to describe you?” •“What’s the most courageous thing you’ve done?” •“If you joined us and then in three to six months you were no longer here, why would that be?” Or ask the same question about five years down the line as well and see how the two answers differ. •“What did you like to d

So if you ask a woman this question, the answer you receive may well be affected by some measure of social inhibition in addition to a sense of ambition, and that may render the answer correspondingly noisier in terms of information. Be aware of this potential distortion. The same problem may exist with some minority and immigrant groups, again, a

Whom is this person responding to or used to performing for? Whom do they view as important to impress? Their parents? A particular peer? High school friends? A former boss?