In a recent interview, new CEO Monica Cepak shared the most telling question to ask job applicants. She stressed that collaboration is key — on the job site and beyond. In her conversations, she demonstrated the clear benefits of collaboration—creating environments that encourage efficiency and productivity. The question, “What’s the hardest problem you’ve ever solved at work, and how did you reach a solution?” serves as a litmus test for candidates, revealing their ability to work with others.
Cepak noted that candidates who talk only about what they will do by themselves usually start setting off alarm bells. For example, responses that center around phrases like “Oh, I did everything myself. Myself, myself, myself” indicate a self-serving attitude. “You’ll be surprised how many times people will say ‘I, I, I, I, I.’ If I don’t hear ‘we’ anywhere, that’s usually a red flag,” she stated.
The importance of collaboration goes without saying in modern work environments. Cepak believes that collaborative problem solving can get things done faster than working separately. She pointed out that it’s the strongest teams that are able to work around roadblocks faster, getting both work and team spirit back on track sooner.
“A strong example of effective teamwork can be illustrated through a candidate’s recounting of their experience: At my last job, our team was struggling with communication and meeting tight deadlines. I suggested we create a shared dashboard to track real-time updates and ensure everyone is aware of deadlines. I collaborated with our operations lead to build it out quickly, and we got everyone on board in a day.”
Cepak is not the only one raising the flag for collaboration in the workplace. Drew McCaskill, who emphasizes the importance of problem-solving during interviews, pointed out that asking about past challenges reveals a candidate’s innovative thinking. “When somebody says, ‘Tell me about a time that you solved a problem that your company was facing,’ they’re really asking you about innovative thinking,” McCaskill explained.
Calm under pressure, humble and a master of building trust Cepak elaborated on the these qualities that make for effective collaboration. Curiosity, empathy, and humility—these are qualities that Sheipo believes to be absolutely crucial to any person worth anything. These characteristics invigorate them with the capacity to push solutions forward, despite whatever opposition they encounter.
“The ability to problem-solve with curiosity, empathy [and] humility ultimately drives solutions forward, no matter how tough, no matter how many curveballs one gets thrown.” – Monica Cepak
Collaboration is king Cepak shines a light on the essential nature of collaboration within the workforce. Further, it addresses why this skill is overlooked by hiring managers. Businesses are more and more looking for collaborative workers who add to the quality of teamwork and help to create a collaborative work environment.
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