Dear Frieda,

We have just completed a great project with CompanyWise and am happy to say that we are aligned with our core values. We have clear agreements on what attitudes we will or will not accept. This allows us to take the next step towards open feedback based on attitudes and not personal.

Our culture has not failed us: we are in the process of recruiting a designer. A number of candidates have applied and I made a shortlist based on their competences. However, I am concerned about whether we are selecting the 'right' person to fit our corporate culture.

How do I start? I can ask what values they themselves consider important, but how do I know I will get a REAL answer and not what they think I'd like to hear?

DHC: Designer Head in the Clouds

Hello Designer Head in the Clouds

Glad to hear from you and that you have actually started working with values as a guide to 'in flow & on purpose'!

The question you ask is right: talented people are one thing, but they can cause a negative impact if they don't fit into the organisational culture, for example through energy leaks, mistrust, discussions and ultimately the cost of replacement.

Here are some questions you can use to find out how consciously candidates deal with their own values:

• Describe a moment when you initially thought about putting your own fault on someone else, but decided to take ownership anyway.
• How do you deal with broken agreements? What causes you to break appointments the most?
• Tell us about a difficult conversation where you had to give a negative message. How did it go? What did you learn?
• What are your favourite ways to bring fun into work?
• When is the last time you remember spontaneously appreciating someone at work? What did you appreciate him or her for?
• Where in your life do you experience a sense of scarcity the most?
• Tell me about a time when you were convinced you were right about something, but then changed your mind.

I'm sure these questions will result in the best fit for your business. If you feel you haven't gained enough insight, you might ask colleagues to talk to the candidate. Your team knows exactly who fits and who doesn't.

Keep me posted. In terms of onboarding, I can give you some interesting tips....