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Management Material
Welcome to Management Material.
My name is Catherine Van Der Laan. I started my career at the bottom as an assistant and worked my way up to become the boss’s boss in 8 years. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that what got you to where you are now won’t get you to where you want to be.
This podcast is for top performers who want to be amazing managers. I’ve coached lots of talented people to get them from entry-level to recognized top performers to new managers to seasoned executives. I challenge deeply held beliefs and change how people see the world.
Management is all about leadership. The best managers were developed leaders long before they had any direct reports.
Here's one thing that most people won't tell you: Management is a skill. Management is a skill you can learn, just like the hard skills that got you to where you are now.
Management Material is about developing you into the best manager you can be. Let’s turn YOU into management material.
Management Material
Answering Management Interview Questions: Communicate Wisdom in Action
A friend of mine came up to me last Sunday at church and asked how I would answer an interview question since I’ve managed larger teams before. He was sitting in an interview for a senior-level position and was asked how he’d manage the team. Nothing more, nothing less. Just, “How would you manage the team?”
Well, that’s a curious question. How would you answer it?
Take a moment and think about how you’d answer that very vague question.
Now, when I ask vague questions - and I ask them all the time - I’m looking for the answer, but I’m also looking to see how the person is communicating their thought process.
What do they come up with on the spot?
What’s their answer off the top of their head?
So how did I answer? I thought out loud.
Every piece of wisdom in action is grounded in something you’ve learned. You might have learned it from experience or from someone else, like from a mentor or a book. Site your source. Show how you think. Then walk them through your decision-making process and timeline.
Senior leaders are looking for you to prove a few things:
- That you’re a leader people want to follow
- That you can be decisive in the face of not enough information
- And that you make the right decisions for the company, your team, your customers, and yourself.
So show that. Show wisdom in action.
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If you'd like to beta test The Promotion Handbook, email me at catherine.vanderlaan@saverstreet.com. I'd love to include you in the beta test!
Book a complimentary management coaching conversation at https://calendly.com/catherine-vanderlaan/free-60-minute-leadership-consultation
Email me at catherine@managementmaterialcoaching.com to ask a question or get in touch.
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