“I Must Be Myself” from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”

'Self-Reliance and Other Essays' by Ralph Waldo Emerson (ISBN 0486277909) 

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803—1882) was an American essayist and poet. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Emerson was the fourth child of a Unitarian minister. Throughout his writings, Emerson is keenly concerned with the growth of the individual—the development of the individual’s powers, potentials, and capacities—an emphasis demonstrating that his thought is thoroughly centered on educational concerns.

Emerson was one of his era’s leading liberals. His prime meaning in any case is self-reliance intellectually and in everyday life. He urges us to trust ourselves, to recognize human divinity and avoid imitation. It is a simple message but all-important – and far easier said than done.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance may be a short essay, but it is packed with advice which is probably more relevant today than it has ever been. At only 30 pages, Self-Reliance has the qualities of a concentrate, perhaps the very essence of personal development. Self-Reliance was one of the key pieces of writing which helped carve the ethic of American individualism, and forms part of the intellectual bedrock of today’s self-help writers. Relish what really matters in your life; the simple things like your friends and family, your hobbies and perhaps your work. Enjoy the freedoms you have and recognise the value of living a normal life outside of the public eye.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-reliance is one of the major writing that helped carve the ethnic American individualism and form the intellectual basis of today’s writers. The thought of self-reliance inspires people not to conform to social conventions but to rely on themselves. When you are working on your next task, give it your full concentration and really put the effort in to produce the best possible end result. Even if it doesn’t lead to glittering success, you should be proud of yourself for doing your very best.

Emerson’s essay begins by reconstructing volving theory of recognition and the central role it played for his concept of ‘self-reliance.’ Initially having adopted the theorizations of recognition developed by Scottish Enlightenment thinkers, Emerson came to articulate the idea of self-reliance by way of developing an alternative approach to recognition, in which the source allocating recognition is neither society nor an inborn moral sense, but rather the transcendentally conceptualized self. Emerson’s shift towards self-recognition poses questions seldom asked in the contemporary debate on recognition.

“… Live no longer to the expectation of these deceived and deceiving people with whom we converse. Say to them, O father, O mother, O wife, O brother, O friend, I have lived with you after appearances hitherto. Henceforward I am the truth’s. Be it known unto you that henceforward I obey no law less than the eternal law. I will have no covenants but proximities. I shall endeavour to nourish my parents, to support my family, to be chaste husband of one wife,—but these relations I must fill after a new and unprecedented way. I appeal from your customs.

I must be myself.

I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. If you can love me for what I am, we shall be happier. If you cannot, I will still seek to deserve that you should. I will not hide my tastes or aversions. I will so trust that what is deep is holy, that I will do strongly before the sun and moon whatever inly rejoices me, and the heart appoints. If you are noble, I will love you; if you are not, I will not hurt you and myself by hypocritical attentions. If you are true, but not in the same truth with me, cleave to your companions; I will seek my own. I do this not selfishly, but humbly and truly. It is alike your interest, and mine, and all men’s, however long we have dwelt in lies, to live in truth. Does this sound harsh to-day? You will soon love what is dictated by your nature as well as mine, and, if we follow the truth, it will bring us out safe at last.”

Full essay is here. Emerson wrote Self-Reliance in 1841—well over 160 years ago—and I believe it provides both a delightful antidote for the times in which we live and also holds up an ideal with which to guide us. Self-reliance—the ability to stand on our own two feet and live a life which is our own and not borrowed from someone else, or one which is meaningful and not superficial—is indispensable in instituting our own exclusive identity. So if, like me, you think self-reliance is important, read on.

“A man,” Emerson writes, “should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages.” There is a certain ambiguity in this statement concerning the question of whether social approbation is categorically distinct from the “grace with the loftier deities” or linked to it by inversion. One also notices Emerson’s rhetorically combining Roman polytheism with Protestant grace, the distinction between lesser and loftier deities amounting to a kind of Protestant doctrine of two kingdoms in which two different economies of recognition are at work. Find somewhere you can think and reflect. It might be the public library or the bottom of your garden. It doesn’t matter where, as long as you spend some time thinking and don’t forget to take a notebook to jot down your thoughts. Everything we do depends for its quality on the thinking we do first.

The great philosopher of affirmation is concurrently the great teacher of dissatisfaction, even disappointment. In each of us, the energies of hope should make room for the emotion of philosophical acceptance of the world, as it must be. If you want to feel at peace go for a walk in the countryside and learn to appreciate your surroundings. Better still, do some sport as this releases serotonin which is so critical to the feeling of well-being. You don’t need to spend lots of money on a new car to make yourself feel happy; just go for a run.

Having established these fundamental dimensions of Emerson’s theory of inspiration, it is crucial to see that Emerson’s praxis of eloquence was geared at putting inspiration into effect. This he attempted to achieve by activating the reader’s imagination.

Quotations from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”

  • “Discontent is the want of self-reliance: it is infirmity of will.”
  • “It is easy to see that a greater self-reliance must work a revolution in all the offices and relations of men; in their religion; in their education; in their pursuits; their modes of living; their association; in their property; in their speculative views.”
  • “I must be myself. I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. If you can love me for what I am, we shall be the happier. If you cannot, I will still seek to deserve that you should. I will not hide my tastes or aversions.”
  • “You take the way from man, not to man. All persons that ever existed are its forgotten ministers.”
  • “In this pleasing contrite wood-life which God allows me, let me record day by day my honest thought without prospect or retrospect, and, I cannot doubt it, it will be found symmetrical, though I mean it not and see it not. My book should smell of pines and resound with the hum of insects.”
  • “Society is a wave. The wave moves onward, but the water of which it is composed does not.”
  • 'The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson' by Ralph Waldo Emerson (ISBN 0679783229) “We fancy it rhetoric, when we speak of eminent virtue. We do not yet see that virtue is Height, and that a man or a company of men, plastic and permeable to principles, by the law of nature must overpower and ride all cities, nations, kings, rich men, poets, who are not.”
  • “And so the reliance on Property, including the reliance on governments which protect it, is the want of self-reliance.”
  • “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.”
  • “Inasmuch as the soul is present, there will be power not confident but agent.”
  • “Society never advances. It recedes as fast on one side as it gains on the other.”
  • “In the Will work and acquire, and thou hast chained the wheel of Chance, and shalt sit hereafter out of fear from her rotations.”
  • “The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet.”
  • “Life only avails, not the having lived.”
  • “Be it how it will, do right now. Always scorn appearances, and you always may. The force of character is cumulative.”
  • “We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents.”
  • “I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching.”
  • “Insist on yourself; never imitate.”
  • “What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think.”
  • “Truth is handsomer than the affectation of love. Your goodness must have some edge to it,—else it is none”
  • “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.”
  • “Your genuine action will explain itself, and will explain your other genuine actions. Your conformity explains nothing.”
  • “There will be an agreement in whatever variety of actions, so they be each honest and natural in their hour. For of one will, the actions will be harmonious, however unlike they seem.”
  • “I do this not selfishly, but humbly and truly. It is alike your interest, and mine, and all men’s, however long we have dwelt in lies, to live in truth.”
  • “If you are noble, I will love you; if you are not, I will not hurt you and myself by hypocritical attentions.”
  • “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.”
  • “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.”
  • “Travelling is a fool’s paradise. Our first journeys discover to us the indifference of places.”
  • “The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs.”3/29/2016
  • “Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members.”
  • “Character teaches above our wills.”

30 Verses and Thoughts from the Bible for Victorious Living, chosen by Joel Osteen

Joel Scott Osteen, an American preacher, televangelist, author

I’m clearly a big advocate of positive thinking as the best way to achieve your goals, but it transpires that it can lead to happiness too. Know that the future is taken care of in a positive way, as you allow yourself to enjoy the present moment. Cheerfulness and self-esteem are some of the best indicators of people who lead contented lives. Happy people feel empowered, in control of their lives, and have a positive outlook on life. Feel good about who you are, and know that your victory benefits others.

You can have victory in every area of your life. You deserve this time of victory. Your steadfast focus and dedication have resulted in blissful manifestation. Pastor, televangelist, and author Joel Osteen has put together a simple and effective tool to help you set your thoughts on victory. Peace and pleasant feelings are yours right now. Let your focus be on this present moment, and savor each feeling and experience fully. You will feel encouraged and ready to face any difficulty you are dealing with. When your thoughts are filled with victory, your actions and experiences will be filled with victory—to the Glory of God!

  • Think The Way God Thinks—“No man has ever seen, heard or even imagined the wonderful things God has in store for those who love the Lord.” From I Corinthians 2:9
  • Develop a Vision of Victory—“Behold I am doing a new thing. Can you not perceive it?” From Isaiah 43:19
  • Make a Plan—“Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.” From Proverbs 16:3
  • 'You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner' by Joel Osteen (ISBN 1455575712) Speak What You Seek—“Declare what is to be …” From Isaiah 45:21
  • Standing Strong During Adversity—“Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.” From Ephesians 6:13
  • Be Joyful Always—“For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” From Nehemiah 8:10
  • You are Approved—“Before you were ever formed in your mother’s womb, I saw you and approved you.” From Jeremiah 1:5
  • Pursue Your Victory—“This one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind, I press on towards the mark …” From Philippians 3:13-14
  • Have an Attitude of Gratitude—“Let no foul or polluting language come out of your mouth.” From Ephesians 4:29
  • Overcome Opposition—“A wide door has been open to me and with it are many adversaries.” From I Corinthians 16:9
  • Declare Blessings—“Say to them, may the Lord bless you protect you.
    May the Lord smile upon you and be gracious to you.
    May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.” From Numbers 6:23-26
  • 'Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day' by Joel Osteen (ISBN 0743296923) Develop a Restoration Mentality—“I will restore the years that the locust has eaten and I will bring you out with plenty and you shall be satisfied.” From Joel 2:25-26
  • Focus on The Future—“Do not cast away your confidence for it will be richly rewarded.” From Hebrews 10:35
  • Feed You Faith—“.. For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” From I John 5:4
  • Live to Give—“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over …” From Luke 6:38
  • Live By The Spirit—“If you live by the Spirit, you’ll not fulfilled the lusts of the flesh” From Galatians 5:16
  • Release The Past—“… but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” From Philippians 3:13-14
  • 'Break Out!: 5 Keys to Go Beyond Your Barriers and Live an Extraordinary Life' by Joel Osteen (ISBN 1414585890) Filter Your Thoughts—“I will set no evil before my eyes.” From Psalm 101:3
  • Stand Firm—“Fear not; stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today.” From Exodus 14:13
  • Live a Balanced Life—“They have made me a keeper of vineyards, of my own vineyard I have not kept.” From Song of Solomon 1:6
  • Expect Favor—“… the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk is blameless .” From Psalm 84:11
  • Forgive Past Hurts—“But let all bitterness, indignation, wrath, resentment, quarreling and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you.” From Ephesians 4:31
  • 'Your Best Life Begins Each Morning: Devotions to Start Every Day of the Year' by Joel Osteen (ISBN 0446545090) Raise Your Self Image—“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” From Proverbs 23:7
  • Avoid Strife—” For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is strife and every evil work.” From James 3:16
  • Wait and Rest—“The vision is for an appointed time. Though it tarry, wait earnestly for it, for it will surely come.” From Habakkak 2:3
  • Expect God’s Best—“Those who wait for the Lord, who expect, look for, and hope in Him, shall renew their strength.” From Isaiah 40:31
  • Be Who You are—“For you are God’s own handiwork, recreated in Christ that you may do the good works that God predestined.” From Ephesians 2:10
  • Let God Defend You—“God is just a God and He will repay the exact compensation owed you. He will settle and solve the cases of His people.” From Hebrews 10:30
  • Guard Your Heart—“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flows the springs of life.” From Proverbs 4:23
  • Praise Him For The Victory—“But You will give us victory over our enemies… And we will praise Your Name forever.” From Psalm 44:7-8

Recommended Books

The Best Tweets by Career Coach Marty Nemko: Life Lead Well & Career Success

Marty Nemko is an Oakland, CA-based career coach, and author.

Marty Nemko is an Oakland, CA-based career coach, and author. Marty hosts the “Work with Marty Nemko” on KALW-FM, an NPR-San Francisco station.

'How to Do Life: What they didn't teach you in school' by Marty Nemko (ISBN 1467960705) Marty Nemko blogs about career, education, men’s and boys’ issues, the life well-led, and improving the world at martynemko.blogspot.com/. A compilation of his articles and writings are at www.martynemko.com/. His YouTube channel is at www.youtube.com/user/mnemko.

Marty also published a compilation of his articles in newspapers, blogs, magazines, and on his website in book chock full of wisdom: ‘How to Do Life: What they didn’t teach you in school’.

Here are the very best of Marty Nemko’s tweets from his @MartyNemko handle.

  • “I even take care to tear-off single sheets of toilet paper. Because I’m cheap? No. Because it’ll help the environment? No. I just think wasting is wrong.”
  • “If you relentlessly pursue a big goal with laser-beam focus, you will likely like your life and be a most worthy person.”
  • “Where at all ethically possible, we must give others hope. Without it, a person figuratively or even literally dies.”
  • “Exploring what your parents did to you may provide insight but, often, your life is no better. It just legitimizes your malaise, maybe even increases your stuckness..”
  • “Facing our parents’ aging forces us to confront our own mortality. It reminds us to appreciate and live each moment wisely.”
  • “Keep it simple: Reasonable diets all distill to: Lots of vegetables and legumes, some fruit, and small portions of everything else.”
  • “Be kind where you can, tough where you should.”
  • “If you have a clearly good idea, to avoid getting talked out of it, get input only on how to better execute it.”
  • “As we age, we may accrue a creeping bitter wisdom.”
  • “Telling people I can’t lose weight may make me eat more—to prove myself right. Perhaps if I told people, “‘I’m gonna lose 20.'””
  • “There’s cost and benefit each time you criticize or suggest. Sometimes, it’s worth the price. Make the choice consciously.”
  • “That a partner ‘gets’ you, this is what above all cements love: love as accurate (but still benevolent) interpretation.”
  • “A desire to “give back” needn’t imply giving to the neediest. It could mean giving to those with the most potential to benefit.”
  • “We dun perfectionism, e.g., as causing procrastination. Yet haven’t your perfectionist efforts yielded the most good & satisfaction?”
  • “A mantra to cure procrastinators: It needn’t be perfect; it needn’t be fun; it just has to get done.”
  • “Far better than a course is self-study + a tutor to get you past your trouble spots.”
  • “Far more of life’s pleasures are in the process than in the outcome. Be in the moment.
  • “Whatever bad awaits, don’t let it spoil the present moment.”
  • “Scratch the surface of any thinking ideologue and you’ll find doubts. Ask, “Ever wondered whether the other side might be right?””
  • “Might you be wise to focus more on self-acceptance than self-improvement? That might even motivate you to self-improve.”
  • “More than a little “processing” of past bad experiences is often counterproductive.”
  • “No matter how brilliant you are, if your style is too intense, most people will dismiss you.”
  • “It’s easy to be liked: listen more than talk, praise often, and disagree rarely. The question is, is it worth the loss of integrity? “
  • “Long-winded? Constantly ask yourself, “Does the person really need & want to know this phrase?” And keep utterances to <30 sec.”
  • “I used to think most people are intrinsically motivated to work hard. But I’m finding that many if not most people need monitoring.”
  • “The key to a well-led life is maxing your contribution. Happiness, less key, is most likely found in simple pleasures.”
  • “How feeble are we that we’re swayed more by dubious flattery than by valid suggestions.”
  • “Key to being liked: While retaining integrity, do more agreeing, amplifying, empathizing. do less arguing, one-upping, yes-butting.”
  • “Why do so many people prefer a silly, manipulative, games-playing, selfish hottie over an ugly, intense, honest, kind person?”
  • “It all comes down to this: Do good.
  • “You’ll likely learn more of enduring value from an hour of wise googling than from any course.”
  • “Part of getting older may mean having to accept that we may not make as big a difference in the world as we had hoped.”
  • “For many people, before age 60, it’s business before pleasure. After 60, pleasure before business.”
  • “To boost self-esteem: accept you’re flawed like everyone, do what you’re good at, & accomplish: Even little wins boost self-esteem.”
  • “A clue to what career or avocation you should pursue is to inventory how you actually spend your discretionary time.”
  • “If you’ve been beaten up in Rounds 1-9, it’s hard to come out for Round 10.”
  • “It’s hard to change people’s work style: aggressive vs passive, hardworking vs moderate. So it may be wise to praise their status-quo.”
  • “Many people can do well in school, even get PhDs, yet are unhireable in the real world. The degree is US’s most overrated product.”
  • “A resume rarely helps—it’s too filled with chemistry-inhibiting cliche. Write & tell the “resume” that’d reveal your true story & self.”
  • “Be tough where you must be, kind where you can be.”
  • “You can do everything right and still fail, not just once, but overall in life. Luck is more important than we acknowledge.”
  • “A clue to what career you should pursue: When you’re really comfortable, what do you love to talk about?”
  • “If you want to lock in a new attitude or behavior, say and/or write that and why. Then keep paraphrasing, NOT reading it.”
  • “Before making an argument, ask a likely opponent to lay out the counterargument. Your argument can then incorporate that.”
  • “In your desire to stand out from the horde, beware of hyping yourself, your ideas, or taking inappropriately extreme positions.”
  • “Giving advice makes the recipient feel less efficacious, so weigh that against the benefit your advice will likely yield.”
  • “Unefficacious people can’t or CHOOSE TO not bounce back—it’s a good excuse to avoid facing their inefficacy yet again.”
  • Teamwork is deified. Don’t forget the pluses of individualism: more motivation, bolder/less compromised solutions, speed.”
  • “When overwhelmed, after doing any needed planning, just stay in the moment and put one foot in front of the other.”
  • “If your self-esteem is low, perhaps focus on finding work you can succeed at. Real self-esteem comes from accomplishment.”
  • “If someone smiles at you with pursed lips, they’re generally forcing the smile—either because they’re shy or don’t like you.”
  • “Wasting money on designer labels is so 20th-century. It’s a permanent loss of money in exchange an evanescent feel-good.”
  • “Don’t confuse tact with cowardice. Sometimes, it’s wise to speak up boldly.”
  • “Talking too much is a career killer. Keep all utterances to less than 45 seconds &, in dialogue, speak a bit LESS than 50% of the time.”
  • “School can give a false sense of confidence or of loserhood. Too often, school success does not predict life success.”
  • “Your goal must not be to impress but to accomplish. That usually demands bringing out the best in others.
  • “Just because you CAN prove someone wrong, doesn’t mean you should.”
  • “I fear we’ll make everything equal until everyone has nothing.”
  • “To boost motivation: what’s your next 1-second task? It feels good to get even a tiny task done, make progress, and maybe learn something.”
  • “To disagree without creating enmity: “I can see why you’d X. (explain.) And (not but) I’m wondering if Y. What do you think?””
  • “In managing & parenting, praise when you can, & when you can’t, try invoking guilt, e.g., “I know you’re better than this.””
  • “The most powerful motivator may not be fear—people go back to bad habits after a heart attack. Could it be proving themselves right?”
  • “As we age, there’s a creeping bitter wisdom we accrue.”
  • “When you think you can nail someone with your argument, take a breath & see if you can phrase it as a face-saving question.”
  • “Some people are nice as a way of compensating for their not being good.”
  • “If possible, slightly under-schedule yourself. That gives you the time to make your work higher-quality.”
  • “Ever get tired of being nice? Tempted to throw caution to the wind and say what you really think? If deserved, even yell? “
  • “Winners do not let themselves succumb to anything. They distract themselves by immersing themselves in their most engaging work.”
  • “Good conversationalists choose a topic that enables each participant to contribute. “
  • “It worked for me, it can work for you books aren’t helpful because typical readers are less smart & driven than book authors.”
  • “To broaden your horizons, mix with people other than people from your own background (professional, cultural, social, academic, racial, ethnic, etc.) Most people prefer the company of other people from similar backgrounds. Birds of a feather do flock together.”
  • “Most of us think ourselves bold, individualistic thinkers when in fact we’re tepid if not downright lemmings.”
  • “Good, simple conversation starter, “What’s doing in your life?” or “Whatcha been thinking about these days?””
  • “What skill of yours has given you the must success? Use it more.”
  • “The most valuable way to spend a dollar? A memo pad. Keep it with you at all times. Think of ideas. Write them down. Implement them.”
  • “Successful, productive people fuel themselves with their work & accomplishment, unsuccessful people through recreation.”
  • “The desire to be right usually trumps the desire for truth.”
  • “The only God resides within us: It is our our wisest attitudes and actions.”
  • “We hear stories of persistence rewarded yet for each of those, hundreds have pressed on only to end up broken and/or broke.”
  • “If the risk/reward ratio of taking an action is good, even if you may fail, it’s usually wise to follow Nike’s advice: Just do it!”
  • “Sometimes, a problem has both a rational and an irrational component. It may help to try to solve those separately.”
  • “People see counselors when they could journal on their own. People take classes when they could read on their own. Why? They’re forced to act.”
  • “Don’t give up prematurely. Your continued efforts will iterate, improve based on lessons learned from your past failures.”

Behavioral Interview Questions by Competency: Customer-Orientation & Customer Service

Behavioral Interview Questions: Customer-Orientation

Customer-orientation is the ability to show care and concern for customers and make them feel valued; willing to deliver timely and reliable customer support and exceed customer expectations; Ability to create a customer-led orientation in a work group.

  • Behavioral Interview Question: “Describe a time when you chose to exceed, rather than meet, a customer’s expectations. Why did you do so, and what were the results?”
    Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate identify a level of customer support to achieve and actively pursue it? Were there results below the customer’s expectation, or above expectation but due to other than the candidate’s actions?
  • Behavioral Interview Question: “Describe a time when you went way beyond the call of duty to ensure reliability and make sure your customer’s needs were met.”
    Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate take proactive steps, such as making sure a product worked, double-checking delivery schedules, or identifying backup plans? Was there little management of a product/service, and/or little effort to make sure all details were in order?
  • Behavioral Interview Question: “All companies have some customers or accounts that are less profitable or more trouble than others do. Describe a time when you made such a customer feel highly valued, possibly leading to additional business.”
    Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate show attention to the customer and clearly indicate the high priority of meeting the customer’s needs? Was there inattention to the customer, incomplete or inferior treatment, or a failure to prioritize his/her needs?
  • Behavioral Interview Question: “Describe a situation in which normal or planned turnaround time or delivery would be too slow for a customer’s needs. How did you address the customer’s needs?”
    Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate take concrete steps to speed up delivery, such as rescheduling, or changing shipping approach? Was there lack of concern for the slowness, or little or superficial effort expended to correct it?
  • Behavioral Interview Question: “Describe a situation in which you converted a hostile or dissatisfied customer into a repeat buyer.”
    Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate take proactive steps to gain the confidence of the customer, perhaps addressing necessary issues or focusing on approaches to improvement? Was there avoidance of the customer and a failure to address the issues?
  • Behavioral Interview Question: “Describe a situation in which you took initiative to create or improve a customer-led orientation in a work group you managed or were part of. How did you ensure success of this effort?”
    Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate initiate a multifaceted approach, perhaps including education, values analysis, and/or measurement? Was there resentment of the customer or a belief that customer support was someone else’s responsibility?
  • Behavioral Interview Question: “Customers often need support in deciding exactly what they want. Describe a time when you invested time and effort in helping a customer evaluate his/her needs.”
    Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate invest time/effort into meeting with the customer, including asking/answering questions and reviewing options? Were there little effort to help, brief/ forced answers to questions, and little initiative to explain options?
  • Behavioral Interview Question: “Describe a time when your care and concern for a customer was clearly manifested in the way you delivered your product/service.”
    Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate attend closely to the customer’s needs, perhaps showing high attention to detail and/or following up on progress or results? Was there an absence of concern, evidenced by little management of the product/ service, perhaps with an assumption that delivery would take care of itself?