Tough questions

Labovitz, G. H. 1988 Tough Questions Senior Managers Should he A.sking about Quality, The ODI Quality Management Series, Vol. 1. 

These are tough questions. As humans, we can attempt to answer them, but (at least for the next few years) computers cannot help us out. Humans possess far more "intelligence" than computers, so it is to be expected that if a human struggles to understand shoe collecting, a computer will be totally baffled by it. This makes it all the more surprising that computers that use "artificial intelligence" can solve a variety of scientific tasks much more effectively than a human. 

This is a tough question, and the simple answer is, probably not. A light-hearted, witty tone is fine if it fits with your subject. But resist the urge to tell a wild and cra2y story, or to tell a straight one with jokes and puns thrown in. You don t know the sense of humor of your reader. If he or she doesn t find it funny, you run the risk of looking foolish at best. Unless you are known for your great sense of humor, keep your tone upbeat, but leave out the jokes. 

Now the time has come for considering some really tough questions. If you are a teacher, why not give these to your students to answer. 

If you can eliminate one or more answers on a tough question, go ahead and make a guess. Don t leave any questions blank and don t spend too much time on any one question. 

So don t stop for difficult questions. Skip them and move on. You can come back to them later if you have time. A question that takes you five seconds to answer counts as much as one that takes you several minutes, so pick up the easy points first. Besides, answering the easier questions first helps build your confidence and gets you in the testing groove. Who knows As you go through the test, you may even stumble across some relevant information to help you answer those tough questions. 

This is a fairly tough question. Because the ternary neither scheme does not have unit eigenrows for the vertices and mid-spans as it stands, we have to take its square, thus creating a both scheme. 

The best way to prepare for this eventuality is to think of your answers ahead of time and practice saying them aloud. Remember that the person with whom you are networking has also interviewed people, so the questions he or she will ask over the phone will be similar to those you might hear on an interview. Just watch out for the dreaded question "Where do you want to be in five years " And be prepared. (Take a look at Chapter 8 for other tough questions you might be asked.)... 

Knowledge of the company s history, especially current events, will serve you well during the interview. You may want to ask, "What s the likelihood that people will he laid off after the merger " If the company you are interested in is testing any new products, find out what they are and whether any of them are controversial. Don t hesitate to ask tough questions—it shows your interviewer that you ve done your homework and know about the company. It also shows that you are not afraid to ask difficult questions. 

This chapter arms you with information and strategies to help you anticipate tough questions, formulate responses, and get an interview back on course. With preparation, you should be able to go into any interview feeling confident and without fear of surprise or embarrassment. Preparation is the key By researching and rehearsing what is likely to be asked, you are free to answer unanticipated questions with less stress and more confidence. 

You will face a number of difficult questions during your job search. Exhibit 7-1 lists a few of these questions, which you should think about before you go on any interviews. The next sections of this chapter discuss other tough questions that are typically asked in interviews, as well detailed strategies for answering them, followed by discussion of how fo go about getting a second interview if you don t get the job. The emphasis here, however, is on succeeding—and if you are alert, well prepared, and primed to think on your feet, you will accomplish nothing less. 

Exhibit 7-1. Typical Tough Questions to Think about before Your Interview... 

The following tough questions can work for you by prompting specific success stories. The specific success factor is shown in parentheses after each question refer back to Chapter 4 for details on these. When you begin your answer, repeat the question in the form of a statement to help you get your bearings and to add a few more precious moments in which you can mentally compose your answer. Tty to choose the closest story you have to match the following common, but more in-depth, questions ... 

This can be a tough question, depending on when it is asked. If the question comes after you ve been told about the job, and you know what the challenges are, you are ahead of the game. However, if you are asked the question before you ve learn the job s specifics, your response will have to be a more general. 

Look carefully at the questions discussed in this chapter and practice with friends, family members, or any other person you know who has gone through an interview and can offer suggestions. The key is to relax, so that you can put your best foot forward and sell yourself to the best of your ability. Remember, most prospective employers ask tough questions because they want to learn about you what motivates you, where your experience lies, how you will benefit the company, and where you would fit into the company if you were hired. If you answer honestly and thoughtfully, you will be sure to succeed. 

You will find information about how to handle surprise questions and tricky questions and how to get unstuck when an interview goes off course. And there s plenty of advice about answering tough questions (see Exhibit 7-1). There is even a detailed description of the top 25 mistakes candidates make and how to avoid them, as well as an additional list of fhe mosf commonly asked inferview questions (see Exhibit 7-2). 

A side note to this example is that there was a town hall meeting in February 2007 arranged by Charles Gibson to discuss the state of the automobile industry today. One of the statemerrts that was made was it has taken almost an entire generation for the American people to lose confidence in your products, it will take that and maybe more to gain the confidence of the American people back. Can these three (Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) survive That is a tough question and it needs to be dealt with very seriously. The transplarrt companies care about customers and deliver an excellent product. 

These changes prompt significant questions If a compaity had been managing the supply chain, would the business be moving If a compaity works to develop healthy suppliers, will the operations remain nearby These are very tough questions that seem to have been ignored by maity U.S. companies over the years, when the focus was on price alone. 

Boisjoly wrote that a quahty assurance manager had once advised him that when faced with a tough question of whether a product was acceptable he should ask himself, Would you allow your wife or children to use this product without any reservations If I could not answer that question with an unqualified Yes, he said, I should not sign off on the product for others to use. That is what ethical analysis of acceptable risk should be. Boisjoly (1987), p. 11. 

Now you need to start asking yourself (and your administration) the tough questions ... 

Students from various identity groups no longer self segregate and embrace each other fully. They choose to be part of a culture that celebrates diversity. We have fostered a culture of TRUST on campus because no one can really ask the tough questions or have the difficult conversation without trust. 

Did people regularly check their assumptions against reali Did participants ask tough questions and give honest ansv during the challenge ... 

As 1 often do with tough questions, 1 asked my wife. She said, Sean Connery, no doubt about it. Very macho, very sexy, but with a roguish charm and a sardonic wit. Mm-mmm, Sean. As an afterthought, she added, Just like you, dear. I decided to cut my losses and went to ask my friend John, the screenwriter. 

Rex DK (2000) Virtual colonoscopy time for some tough questions for radiologists and gastroenterologists. Endoscopy 32 260-263... 

If pressure drop is normal through the catalyst beds, this will be a tough question. With adequate instrumentation, you can obtain a vertical temperature profile through the first catalyst bed and then develop data to make a firm decision. Figure 5-2 illustrates the method. For catalyst that is in good condition, 90 + % of the heat of reaction is released in the top 6 in. If catalyst activity is impaired, the reaction is shifted down the bed. 

WORKED PROBLEM 12.11 Life is never simple. There is a persuasive counterargument that attributes the shortening of the butadiene C(2)—C(3) bond to factors other than conjugation. Can you come up with another explanation Hintfor this tough question-. We have ignored the O system in this argument. What kind of a O bond joins C(2) and C(3) So what See Problem 12.8. 

Where does one proceed at this point A tough question, but applying the type of information in Table 18.1 would be a good start. ... 

Although you can ask some of these questions up front on a website form, my philosophy is that your forms should always be short and leave the tough questions to your sales teams. Research shows that the longer the form, the more drop-off you have. 

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