Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of performance through strong human relations, team building, and goal achieving. This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Felloledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to this seven minute leadership podcast. It's episode four point thirty one, and let's flip the script for this episode. Today we're talking about the reverse interview, a leadership move that takes guts, humility, and a whole lot of trust. Here's the concept. Instead of you doing all the asking, directing, and leading, what if just once you handed the mic to your employees and said you interview me. Sounds crazy, maybe sounds risky, absolutely, but done right,
it's one of the most powerful ways to build real trust. Speak, open dialogue, and show your team that leadership isn't about hiding behind a title. It's about showing up with honesty, transparency, and accountability. So let me break this down. Why do we want to flip the script? As leaders? We often hold the spotlight. We run the meetings, we ask the questions, we set the tone. But what happens when the spotlight turns around? You open the door for truth, connection, and
clarity Because your team already has questions. They wonder what you really stand for, why you made that decision, what your expectations are, what your non negotiables look like. They wonder if you're even aware of the problems they're quietly dealing with every day. The reverse interview doesn't just give them permission to ask, It invites them to do it boldly, and that changes everything. And here's what this looks like
in practice. You gather your team in a room or maybe it's a one on one, and you say, today I'm flipping the script. I want you to interview me, no limits, no filters, ask me anything you've always wanted to know about my leadership, my decisions, my expectations, or what I'm currently working on. And then this is the hard part. You have to shut up and listen, let the silence hang, let the awkwardness bubble up, and then watch the magic happen. Someone will ask something simple like
what keeps you up at night about this company? Or what's the biggest mistake you've made as a leader. Then someone else will follow with a deeper one. Do you think you've built trust with this team? Now we're in it. That's the real work. You don't have to script the reverse interview. But here's a few questions that you hope they ask, so be ready to answer them, because these are the ones that build trust and challenge you to grow. Why did you become a leader, what's the biggest leadership
mistake you've made? What's something about this job that scares you? What do you expect from us really? What's one thing you're actively trying to improve about yourself right now? And have you ever been disappointed in our team? And if so why? These are not lightweight questions. These are mirror moments, and your answers tell your team exactly who you are. Here's the return on this type of a bold move trust. When your team hears you own your flaws and speak honestly,
they trust you more, not less. Clarity this process removes the fog. It reveals what you're thinking and what you actually expect. No guessing games and accountability. When you say things out loud, like what you're working on or what mistakes you've made, you create public accountability for your own growth. It also sends this loud, clear message, I'm not hiding behind my title. I'm right here in this with you. So just to be clear, The reverse interview is not
a free for all. Here's some simple guardrails. Create a safe space. Tell them no question is off limits, but it must come from a place of growth, not gossip. If it's a group, have someone moderate, don't interrupt or defend, just listen and take notes, and after the interview thank them. Follow up on key points. If you don't have an answer in the moment, promise to get one and then actually do it. And most importantly, don't retaliate. If someone hits you with a hard truth, accept it as a gift,
not a threat. So the strongest leaders aren't the ones with all the answers. They're the ones who are brave enough to be asked the hard questions. So I challenge you schedule your first reverse interview. You might be surprised what you learn, not just about your team, but also about yourself, because leadership isn't just about leading forward. Sometimes it's about leaning back and letting others speak in to you. This has been the seven minute Leadership podcast, and I thank you for listening.
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