Sam came into our organization to lead our division wearing “combat boots.” We weren’t surprised because even though he was in “interview mode”, his words implied we didn’t’ know how to fix things and he did. His mistake is one I’ve seen many new leaders make. Once he arrived, it was clear he was excited about the new job and wanted to prove to us he was the right leader. He wanted to impress us (the new team) with his knowledge and experience. That’s understandable.
But he went about it the wrong way — talking way too much about himself, his past experiences, and the problems he solved. Those constant references didn’t make us feel valued or competent when we were.
We might have accepted Sam better if he had been just a little humble and used the word even, a little when he spoke. I’ve learned that the word even is one of powerful words that doesn’t get used enough. It can be used as a noun, a verb, an adverb or an adjective. There is power and significance in that simple little word when it’s used as an adverb. I encourage you to sprinkle it in the right place, and it will set you apart from others.
The word even, is affirming when used properly. Sam would have been better to say, “I’m here to help this team and organization become even better.” That would have sounded much better, affirming our work in the past, but letting us know we can get better.
Sometimes job seekers forget their audience. The interview isn’t about them. They mistakenly think they’re on “stage” to share their wisdom, talk about their skills, gifts, and experiences. After all, they are the candidate. They want to impress. In their preparation, they’ve been advised to remember to highlight good things about themselves.
In an interview, the “audience” is those interviewing the candidate, often a group of future peers or subordinates. While some questions are about knowledge and experiences, it’s usually a minority of the questions because they assume you know what you’re doing. What they want to know is whether they like you or want to work with you. You’ll get them to embrace you sooner if you affirm them, sharing something l like “I work hard and I would be committed to helping this team become even better”.
Where else can you use the work even?
Job performance. Tell someone they didn’t do something well and they are hurt, they’ll get defensive. Some will even want to debate with you. If you include that 4-letter word, they’ll listen. “I appreciate your efforts, but I think you can do even better the next time.” Say it that way and they might even ask, what can I do to get better. If they don’t, it’s your opportunity to tell them.
Relationships. Yes, they can be okay, you know, cordial, but still lacking what you hope for. The word even might be a way to say it that opens the dialog. What if you said, “I want our relationship to be even better, can we talk about how we do that?” My hunch is they will agree and give you a chance to develop a deeper relationship.
That little word, even, changes things from being about you to being about them. It will shift the focus and open doors to better conversations. Begin thinking about where you can use the word even to enhance others.
“Do not be interested only in your own life but be interested in the lives of others” (Philippians 2:4 NCV).
