Allen Richey | Risk and Rigor: Finding the Sweet Spot
Chad talks with Allen Richy, COO of PacTec, about why being crystal clear on expectations saves everyone time and heartache. Allen shares his "cross-examination" style of interviewing that digs deep into candidates' actual experiences, not just their resume titles. They discuss why employees need to be vulnerable about what's working and what isn't, how to create specific job descriptions instead of vague ones, and why Allen's former boss told him to be right less than 100% of the time - because if you're always right, you're not taking enough risk.
Key Takeaways:
Get crystal clear on expectations before you even post the job - Work with your team to define exactly what this person will do day-to-day, not just "work cross-functionally to solve problems"
Cross-examine candidates about their actual experiences - Don't just accept "I managed a team of 10" - dig into specific situations, what meetings looked like, how they handled conflicts
Encourage employees to be vulnerable about their strengths and struggles - When someone raises their hand to say "I'm mediocre at these two things but could be exceptional at this one," that's gold
Aim to be right 70% of the time, not 100% - If you're always right, you're not taking enough risk; if you're only right half the time, you might as well flip a coin
