One of my least favorite interview questions goes something like this: On a scale of 1 to 10, rate yourself on [insert personal attribute here]. This is a bad question because while some quantities – speed, weight, temperature, earthquake magnitude – do have an agreed-upon scale of measurement, personal attributes like, say, leadership, do not. Person A might give himself a 10 in leadership, while a third party might say, “Oh, I know that guy. He’s a 3.” You might be tempted to answer like this: “I consider myself a good leader, better than most, but I’m humbled by the challenges of leadership, and I’m always learning something new, so I’ll give myself an 8.” Absent any information about how that number is going to be used, I’d say that’s a pretty good answer. It’s honest and reflective. BUT — the question itself is so misguided that I don’t expect… Read more →