EP227: Stop Making These 3 Interview Mistakes
In this episode, Juan Navarro discusses the common interview mistakes that can hinder effective problem-solving in quality management and leadership development. He highlights the importance of advanced quality programs in identifying root cause issues and developing quality control measures. By avoiding these mistakes, individuals can improve their interview skills, enhance their personal growth, and achieve their goal setting objectives. Navarro emphasizes the need for strong leadership skills, quality investigation, and personal development to excel in quality management and leadership roles. He provides valuable insights on how to investigate quality issues, develop effective problem-solving strategies, and implement quality control measures to drive personal and professional growth. By applying these principles, individuals can refine their leadership skills, advance their careers, and contribute to the success of their organizations. #AdvancedQualityPrograms #JuanNavarro #Interviews #ProblemSolving
“Great, thanks. That was very helpful.”
I end the call, and the polite smile I have been holding disappears instantly. This is not working.
I have spent the past week doing one-on-one interviews to figure out why a major project failed. Hours of meetings. Pages of notes. And what do I have? A pile of polite, vague answers. Everyone is telling me what they think I want to hear, not what happened.
If I hear “Yeah, the timeline was probably too aggressive” one more time, I might lose it. I know something deeper went wrong, but all I am getting is surface-level agreement. It feels like I am drowning in nice, safe answers that explain nothing.
At first, I blamed the team. Maybe they didn’t want to be honest. Maybe they were avoiding conflict. But after staring at my empty spreadsheet of “insights,” I realized something uncomfortable: The problem wasn’t them. It was me.
As the interviewer, I was making three big mistakes that were quietly ruining my investigation. Today, I want to walk you through them, so you don’t repeat them.
Sometimes, if you want to solve a problem, facts and figures aren’t enough—you need to investigate, and to do so, you must interview people. There are ways to do this properly, but if you’re like me—an engineer with a practical or “Lets fix-it” approach—preparing an interview might not come naturally.
Interviews are part of everyday life—job interviews, medical appointments, and media interviews. However, Quality investigation interviews have specific methods. They allow us to be present when data is created, giving us a sense of closeness to the material. This closeness can also create bias and must be managed carefully.
Here are the three common mistakes we can fix right now:
Mistake #1: Leading the Witness
My biggest mistake? I thought I already knew the answer, so I asked questions that pushed people to confirm my theory. That’s a leading question—it nudges someone toward a specific answer before they’ve even shared their own view.
What that looked like: “So, the real issue was that marketing didn’t communicate, right? Don’t you think the project would’ve gone fine if they’d given us the assets on time?”
That’s not a question; that’s me telling them what to say. Of course, they agreed—it’s easier to agree with a manager than to challenge one.
The Fix: Ask neutral questions that let people tell their own stories. “Walk me through the project timeline. When did you work in marketing? How did those handoffs go?”
The first version asks for agreement; the second asks for information. Use phrases like:
“Walk me through…”
“Tell me about…”
“How did you handle…?”
Mistake #2: Asking About the Future Instead of the Past
I used to ask people to predict what would work instead of asking what has worked. People are not good at predicting their own behavior. We imagine the “ideal” version of ourselves—the one that will definitely stay organized and follow every new process perfectly.
What that looked like: “If we add a daily check-in meeting, do you think that would fix the communication issue?”
These questions don’t give you data; they give you polite guesses. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.
The Fix: Ask about real experiences. “Tell me about a past project where communication went really well. What made it work? What systems actually helped you?”
Now you’re learning from evidence, not wishful thinking.
Mistake #3: Talking More Than You Listen
This was the hardest one to admit: I talked way too much. If someone gave a short answer, I filled the silence. If they criticized a process I created, I defended it. My interviews were basically me talking while they nodded.
The point of an interview is to listen. The most valuable insights often come after a pause—when the person has time to think past the “easy” answer.
The Fix: Use silence as a tool.
Me: “What did you think of the project management software?”
Employee: “It was okay. A bit confusing.”
Me: (Silent, nodding)
Employee: “…Actually, I wasn’t sure where to log my hours versus updating tasks. I didn’t want to put things in the wrong place.”
Me: “Tell me more about that.”
Once I stopped leading the witness, stopped asking for predictions, and started embracing the silence, everything changed. I started getting real stories and real insights.
To recap:
- Stop leading the witness. Ask neutral, open-ended questions.
- Ask about the past, not the future. Real behavior beats guesses.
- Talk less, listen more. Silence is your friend.
Conducting interviews takes time and requires high ethical standards regarding consent and confidentiality. The quality of your interviews depends on your fairness and consistency.
That’s all for today. If this helps you avoid a few painful meetings, subscribe for more practical management tips. I’d love to hear from you—what’s the most common interview mistake you’ve seen at work?
Thanks for your support and your ratings on my books: Life Quality Projects, Principles of Quality, and The Quality Mindset.
Stay excellent, keep improving, and remember to listen with interest!