Where Do You Store Your Ketchup?

(Photo: Planet Fox/Pixabay)

In My Summer Prince (2016), Mandy tells Deidre, a public relations executive, she wants to be her assistant. The exchange in the impromptu interview leads to the following paraphrased discussion:

Deidre: Where do you store your ketchup?
Mandy: In the refrigerator.
Deidre: Why?
Mandy: Because the bottle says to.
Deidre: So why do restaurants keep it on the table?
Mandy: [confused look]

A non-answer was not what Deidre was looking for in an assistant. She wanted an assistant who made decisions based on personal thought and conviction, not by what someone else said.

I had a similar discussion with a co-worker a couple weeks ago. He sat on an interview panel recently. Following the interviews, one interviewee followed up and asked him what she could do better for her next interview. One of the questions she didn't have a solid answer, but should have, related to what values were important to her and how they would make her successful in the position for which she had applied.

Introspective questions tend to be those that trip us up during interviews and conversations. Being able to respond to those questions sets you apart from others. Knowing who you are is at the core of command presence, and thus this year's campaign theme. If you don't know who you are and how people see you, you will never see the big picture. You will never lead to your full potential.

We challenge you to take a hard look at yourself.

• What are your values?
• What are your goals?
• Have you developed a personal mission statement? 

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

Read Christopher D. Lee's article, "Executive Presence in the Interview."

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Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Committee. The expressions are those of the author.