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Behavior Based Interviewing (BBI)Physician Team

March 21, 2014

Behavior Based Interviewing (BBI)

Our Partnership :Cathy Lynn Smith, MA, LPC, GCDFI Senior Consultant – Organizational & Human Resource Development - Physician Leadership Development

Maria S. Kokas, Ph.D.Director of Learning Systems and Resources- Graduate Medical Education

And of course …Dr. Bruno DiGiovine and Dr. Geneva Tatem

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How I learned first about the value of behavioral questioning…

• Cathy - The patient• Severe side / back pain • No answers• Fear• 2nd opinion

A Story – •The physician who taught me the real value of asking behavioral questions…

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Behavior Based Interviewing (BBI)

• Define and identify the importance of BBI

• “How to” determine best fit

• Practice behavioral based questions

• Identify the steps for managing the interview with your team and with the candidates

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Reframing Our Perspective: Interview Fun!

Let’s Practice: Behavioral Accomplishment Exercise 5 minutes – per person Each plays interviewer/ interviewee

• Interviewee: Describe a success you had when you were less than 16 years old…

• What did you do?

• What made it a success for you?

Interviewer… What patterns of skills/behaviors …. did you hear? …take notes

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BBI: What is it?

A behavior based interview is focused on discovering how an applicant acted in specific employment or similarly related situations.

The logic / research proves: past performance is the best measure to predict future performance.

Instead of asking how “would” they behave, the interviewer asks how “did” they behave.

= Behavioral “evidence” based interviewing

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Let’s talk about interviewing…Candidates come in all types and values

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Candidates come in as we “see” them

Exercise: Remembering a “Bad Hire”!

Does long term pain and suffering come to mind?Talk with your partner…..5 minutes

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…What might we need to “unlearn”? Do differently?

What did you learn from that experience?

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Overview: Pre-Interview Process Steps

Analyze the tasks, educational credentials / experience requirements- yes we do this!

But what about…. Informal “FIT” preparation discussions?

What behaviors, strengths, etc….Do we need to add “more of,” or add “different/new ones” to our team?

You’ll have to “walk in the shoes with this person” a long time

Pre -Thinking & Identifying - “Patterns/Fit”

Once we know our preferred behaviors which lead to ourdesired goals/ skill needs = results

We look for stories showing “patterns” of behaviors that will drive the results you are trying to accomplish

= “Fit” - drives engagement within your team (& minimizes disengagement / conflicts)

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Behavior Based Interviewing Process Analyzes the job, identifies skills, values, attitudes resulting behaviors needed + FIT

Develop scripted “open” behavioral questions Note: You already have an ACGME aligned set of BBI Questions - (We saved you some thinking work!)

- BBI interviews - All candidates asked same questions asked by same person- Why?

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Why Rate the Candidates’Skills?

• Measure against your competency/ behaviors descriptions- Per question/ per fellow candidate ….Why?

• Your notes/ratings help organize - How? • How do rating scale anchors create objectivity?

For the Final Decision– Always go back and review your identified behaviors for the position

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Behavior Based Interview: Cautions

Keep in mind: • We bring our own “biases”

• We have responsibilities to our other “teammates”

• We often hire for technical skills rather than “attitude”

• Remember: Some candidates/fellows just won’t fit our organizational or unit culture

Behavioral Question Responses:Thinking up front... What does good sound like?

What Are Your Preferred Responses? Analogy: Think “C.A.R.”…Why?

Circumstance + Action + Result = C.A.R. Think: Standard, upgraded & super charged options Test drive- “performance” assessment

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How they work: BBI Questions C- A- R

• In asking behavior based questions we are seeking: What circumstance? How did the candidate Act in that circumstance? What was the Result?

• Example: Tell me about a time when you had a serious patient complaint (C) that you could not resolve right away. What happened, what did you do (A) and what was the (R)result?

• Listen for “I” responses, not “we” • Ask the candidate …“What role did you play?”

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Creating Safe Conditions for BBI? Drawing out open and spontaneous behavior

• Help the person to be comfortable. Start with small talk and let them know how the interview will be handled.

• Be nonjudgmental to their responses... do not give prompting clues as to what you are looking for.

• Ask some broad, general questions to open. • Feeling safe to respond allows the

individual to talk freely.

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But wait…..Behavioral Interpretation

• In interviewing we should assess people in terms of their frequent, repetitive patterns of behavior; ……..one response tells us little.

– So they must speak enthusiastically several times during the interview

– at least three times before we arrive at this conclusion.

• Pick up on the clues that people give you and jot them down, follow-up with future probing questions.

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Draw out open and spontaneous behavior:

For the candidate who may say as much • Use a soft, gentle inflective tone of voice• Ask simple probing questions: How so?

Because? Tell me more….• Tolerate silence….why?

How to redirect “chatty” candidates/fellows

• Let the other person lead the way but don’t give up control of the interview. How?

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Practice: Follow-up Questions… …your most important tool

Expanding on your original questionsExamples: Let’s try some

1. Use your sample BBI ACGME competency/behavior question guide…

2. Choose a partner Interview: Ask two interview questions, Try 2 follow-up questions – take notes Switch: Interview your partner (8 minutes per person - Then let’s review)

Content vs. Behavior Interpretations

• Content Interpretation:

Involves focusing on what the person is saying, something we’ve been taught all of our lives

• Behavioral Interpretation:

Focuses on what the person’s behavior is telling us about them

Let’s see an example…

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Wait! An Interpretation Example The Candidate says….

• Content: (said) The lack of structure and organization at the

last job was frustrating.

• Behavioral (meaning) This person appears to

expect and require structure, good planning and organization.

OR This person could also be

critical.

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“One problem I had on my previous job was the lack of planning. Meetings would have no agenda, they often would be changed at the last minute, there was a lack of follow-through. It didn’t allow me to do my best work”

Behavioral Patterns – Seek Contrary Evidence

• When you see a pattern emerge ask for an opposite example:

• Tell me about a time when you saw a problem at work and you were able to take the initiative to resolve it. Describe the problem. What did you do and what resulted.

• Tell me about a time when you saw a problem at work and you were not able to take the initiative to resolve it. What resulted?

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An Open Book Quiz - Things to remember when conducting the interview…

• Rapport-building questions - Why?• Open-ended BBI questions - Give an example. • Probe Follow up? An easy example?• Tolerate silence! Why?• Control the interview – How?• Take notes. What caution?• Secure notes - Why? • Remember to prep your team

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Let’s Go Back to Our Bad Hire Examples

Careful preparation will:

Prevent future poor performance, team issues Increase engagement, productivity and results

“Staffing” carefully is worth taking the time! ….

“Proactive” people time up front…. or“Reactive” people time at the back end….

Either way… you will always spend … “ the same amount of people time”

You all did an amazing job!

Do you have any additional questions on the BBI Interviewing questioning process?

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