Economist Tyler Cowen argues that traditional interview methods are not effective in determining the best candidates for a job, especially in creative roles. Candidates who are well-prepared often pass these interviews, but this only tests their preparation and not their abilities.

To determine the best candidate, Cowen suggests that interviewers concentrate on authenticity (真实性) and spontaneity (自发性) in their interactions with candidates, rather than relying on pre-written questions.

The interviewer should be trustworthy, Cowen argues, as it helps them better evaluate the authenticity of candidates. Eventually, “better allocation (分配) of talent” contributes to economic growth, and more thoughtful interview methods can help identify more talented individuals and elevate (提升) them to greater opportunities. Cowen adds, “There are too many interview questions, and every interviewer is ready. For example, ‘What mistakes did you make in your previous job?’ But many candidates just didn’t prepare well and didn’t provide a good answer. So in most cases, for better candidates, you are actually just preparing for testing. But for more creative jobs, you will lose candidates with other qualities.”

“How to get people into what I call the “Real Mode” largely depends on who they are, as well as who you are. If I am interviewing a candidate, my favorite discussions are just those without scripts. I prefer to have these conversations without asking questions. I hope they are natural. I like spontaneity — how to achieve it depends on the environment, work, how much time you have, and many other factors.”

“An estimate suggests that since the 1960s, 20% to 40% of US economic growth has come from “better talent allocation”. If we had a fresher and more creative interview process, I do think people would be more thoughtful. They will think more deeply about the work they will be engaged in. I think we will find talents that we haven’t seen so far. We will enable more people to have greater opportunities.”

Becoming a team leader is often someone's first experience of management responsibility. Many team leaders are promoted from within the team because they were good team members. 【小题1】 How can people develop good team leader qualities?

【小题2】

Making all decisions on your own rather than consulting your staff will often be unpopular especially when it involves major changes to the way they work. Before making any changes, consider how these changes may affect people, ensuring the team understand the results of the changes and don't just arbitrarily introduce them.

Be prepared to listen.

When individuals in the team are not happy，they can sometimes express their dissatisfaction. 【小题3】 Take the time to listen rather than become defensive. Learning to listen will help you to handle potentially explosive situations. It enables people to express their frustration and then calm down and speak more reasonably.

Lead by example.

【小题4】 This means being a good role model for your team in terms of what you expect yourself in terms of behavior. This quality will help your team members see how they can follow your example in everything they do.

Be prepared to admit mistakes.

Just being the team leader doesn't mean you will stop making mistakes. When it does happen, be ready to admit them. Playing the ‘blame game’ will only mean that any future mistakes are hidden away possibly. 【小题5】