Conducting Skills Assessments

Industry expertise makes you credible. It doesn't make you a product manager. I see this pattern quite often. Someone with deep domain expertise gets promoted to VP of Product. They understand customers. They know the industry. But product management is a distinct craft, part art, part science, part psychology. Without learning the craft's methodologies and frameworks, you'll lose credibility with your team fast. A healthcare veteran might know exactly what patients need, but struggle with roadmap prioritization frameworks. A financial services expert understands regulatory requirements but can't facilitate effective product discovery sessions. Domain expertise gives you customer empathy, not product management skills. The companies that get this right invest in teaching new product leaders the actual craft. They don't assume industry knowledge translates to strategic product thinking, cross-functional leadership, or outcome-focused execution. In Episode 240 of the Product Thinking with Melissa Perri, I talked about exactly this challenge. New VPs need to master product methodologies alongside their domain expertise, not instead of it. The best product leaders combine deep customer understanding with strong product craft. One without the other leaves you incomplete. That’s one of the reasons why we launched the Mastering Product Strategy course at Product Institute last year, to help Product Leaders navigate the complexities of strategic Product Management. Have you seen this play out in your organization? How do you help domain experts develop true product leadership skills?

Candidates who aren't #hired after an #interview deserve an honest and transparent response. It’s a crucial part of maintaining respect and professionalism in the #hiring process. Instead of leaving them uncertain or sending generic rejection emails, giving specific feedback can help candidates improve and feel #valued. This approach builds goodwill and enhances the #company’s reputation. For instance, imagine a #candidate named Priya who interviewed for a marketing position. She did well but lacked certain technical #skills needed for the role. Instead of just saying, "We’ve decided to move forward with other candidates," the hiring team could say, "We were impressed by your creativity but feel more #experience with digital marketing tools is needed. We encourage you to reapply in the future." This kind of feedback shows respect for the candidate’s effort and provides useful insight for their #growth. It’s a simple gesture that can turn a disappointing experience into a constructive one, and it helps to leave the door open for future #opportunities. Honest communication benefits both the company and the candidates in the long run. Connect and Follow 👉🏻 Dev Raj Saini for jobs related help. #linkedin

If you’re an AI engineer trying to understand how reasoning actually works inside LLMs, this will help you connect the dots. Most large language models can generate. But reasoning models can decide. Traditional LLMs followed a straight line: Input → Predict → Output. No self-checking, no branching, no exploration. Reasoning models introduced structure, a way for models to explore multiple paths, score their own reasoning, and refine their answers. We started with Chain-of-Thought (CoT) reasoning, then extended to Tree-of-Thought (ToT) for branching, and now to Graph-based reasoning, where models connect, merge, or revisit partial thoughts before concluding. This evolution changes how LLMs solve problems. Instead of guessing the next token, they learn to search the reasoning space- exploring alternatives, evaluating confidence, and adapting dynamically. Different reasoning topologies serve different goals: • Chains for simple sequential reasoning • Trees for exploring multiple hypotheses • Graphs for revising and merging partial solutions Modern architectures (like OpenAI’s o-series reasoning models, Anthropic’s Claude reasoning stack, DeepSeek R series and DeepMind’s AlphaReasoning experiments) use this idea under the hood. They don’t just generate answers, they navigate reasoning trajectories, using adaptive depth-first or breadth-first exploration, depending on task uncertainty. Why this matters? • It reduces hallucinations by verifying intermediate steps • It improves interpretability since we can visualize reasoning paths • It boosts reliability for complex tasks like planning, coding, or tool orchestration The next phase of LLM development won’t be about more parameters, it’ll be about better reasoning architectures: topologies that can branch, score, and self-correct. I’ll be doing a deep dive on reasoning models soon on my Substack- exploring architectures, training approaches, and practical applications for engineers. If you haven’t subscribed yet, make sure you do: https://lnkd.in/dpBNr6Jg ♻️ Share this with your network 🔔 Follow along for more data science & AI insights

Expertise can hurt leaders. I’ve met leaders who are brilliant in their domains. They know the playbook inside out and can almost instinctively predict what they’re supposed to do next. But they’re so confident in what worked that they fail to see what’s changing. Sector knowledge helps, but only up to a point. The higher you go, the less your technical depth matters. What starts to matter more is your ability to connect the dots across industries, disciplines, contexts and trends. That’s where real innovation comes from. - Leena Nair moved from Unilever to CHANEL. No fashion background.  - Alan Mulally went from Boeing to Ford. No auto experience.  - Angela Ahrendts led Burberry, and later joined Apple. These leaders brought fresh ideas, a fresh set of eyes and fresh questions. Have you sat in a room where the most experienced person was also the most closed? No curiosity. No listening. Did you see new ideas die, not because they were weak, but because nobody had the patience to hear them? Have you been told by the expert leader “but our industry is different,” and felt embarrassed for looking silly? It’s good to know your stuff. Until that very expertise becomes the trap that keeps you on autopilot and away from innovation. Expertise is a good foundation. But as we all know, leadership is about much, much more…..   #leadership #expertise #beyondtheplaybook    

The Hidden Interview Questions You Didn't Know Were Being Asked I spent Tuesday meeting five candidates for a senior sales role. By the time the last one left, I noticed something fascinating. Each person was answering questions I never actually asked. Here's what I mean: When Sarah arrived 15 minutes early, she showed me she values preparation and respects others' time. When Michael kept checking his phone, he told me his priorities might be elsewhere. And when Emma asked thoughtful questions about our company culture, she revealed her interest went beyond just getting a pay cheque. You see, the interview starts well before you sit down. As an experienced headhunter, I can tell you that hiring managers are constantly gathering data points that candidates don't realise are being assessed. Some of these hidden assessment moments include: How you treat the receptionist or junior staff Whether you researched the company properly Your body language while waiting How you handle unexpected hiccups (like a delayed interviewer) The questions you ask at the end I once worked with a client who rejected an otherwise perfect candidate because they were dismissive to the office assistant. That 30-second interaction outweighed an hour of brilliant answers. Think about your last interview. What signals might you have sent without knowing it? That email you took three days to respond to? The thank-you note you forgot to send? The next time you're up for a job, remember that everything from your arrival to your departure is part of the assessment. The most successful candidates understand that actions speak louder than rehearsed answers. #Recruitment #HiringTips #TalentAcquisition

I've been thinking about the importance of leaders with domain expertise. It is tough to have that these days, given the pace of change, but it's vital that leaders understand HOW things get done, not just WHAT gets done on their teams. Leaders get shifted sideways a lot, allowing them to gain experience in a wider set of organizational disciplines. That's smart, but it means that leaders without digital experience can find themselves leading digital teams and people with no #CX background can end up leading #CustomerExperience teams. So often, leaders are used to leading, but leading when you don't understand the domain is a problem. It not only results in bad decisions but frustrates and disempowers the seasoned, capable people on the team. That's why taking over a new and unknown discipline requires a special kind of leadership. The kind of command-and-control leadership that got you to this point is a detriment when taking over a team in an unfamiliar domain. In this circumstance, it becomes more important to listen, trust people, and delegate as you increase your domain knowledge. That means planning carefully and in phases, starting with narrower executive decisions and expanding your control and decision-making as your knowledge grows. Decades ago, I had a mid-sized family-owned client. Over the course of a couple of years, we managed its email campaigns, lifting engagement and measuring improvements. Then, a relative of one of the founders took over as head of marketing, despite having no marketing or digital experience. In one fateful meeting, she told us that she'd read a book on email marketing, and we were doing it all wrong. So, she fired our agency. It was her prerogative to do so, of course. When I think back to that meeting, I frequently consider how she might have approached this differently. Had she expressed concerns or discussed her ideas, we could've had a great dialog. We tried to explore this with her, of course, but she had made her decision. I'm sure that action made her feel (and perhaps look) powerful. We continued to monitor the brand's emails and watched as they became spammier, less informational, poorly targeted to the brand's personas, and less engaging. We privately heard from a former peer at the company that engagement plunged and unsubscribes soared. I'm not proud that I felt a sense of schadenfreude upon hearing that, but more than that, I was frustrated that I wasn't given the chance to help a brand I loved to succeed. By resorting to command-and-control behaviors, this new leader deprived herself of access to talent that was committed, experienced, and capable. The key success factor of leadership, in my opinion, is not your ability to make decisions; it's humility. Knowing what you don't know, recognizing when to trust others and delegate, and adapting your leadership style to your level of domain expertise is vital as you move up and around an organization.

I was recently brought in to help a company fill a senior leadership position. The client had their eye on a highly impressive candidate—an executive with years of experience leading teams in major corporations. But as we dove deeper into the conversation, it became clear that the candidate’s polished resume was just the surface. We decided to take a different approach—using behavioral interviewing to explore how this candidate truly operated in leadership scenarios. Instead of focusing on "What have you achieved?" we asked, "Tell me about a time you faced a crisis, and how did you lead your team through it?" What followed was eye-opening. The candidate shared a story of how they navigated a massive company-wide disruption, not just by implementing strategy, but by engaging with every level of the team, being transparent, and ensuring collaboration across departments. This wasn’t something you could find on their resume. It was the true essence of leadership, and it was the kind of insight I now always prioritize when consulting for executive roles. Why Behavioral Event Interviewing Are a Game-Changer in Executive Consulting: 1. Beyond the Resume: We’re not hiring for what someone has done; we’re hiring for how they do it. 2. Real Leadership Qualities: Behavioral interviews highlight traits like resilience, empathy, problem-solving, and decision making which are vital in top executives. 3. Authentic Responses: By asking about specific past experiences, we avoid generic, rehearsed answers that don’t truly reflect a candidate’s leadership abilities. 4. Cultural Fit: The way a candidate responds to pressure, failure, or success shows if they align with your organization’s values and culture. 5. Predicting Future Success: Past behavior is often the best predictor of how someone will perform in similar situations in the future. As I continue consulting for top-tier executives, behavioral interviews have become my key strategy for assessing true leadership potential. It’s not just about the position they held or the titles they’ve earned—it’s about how they lead when no one’s watching. Have you ever relied on behavioral event interviews for executive hiring? What was your experience? Let’s discuss this in the comments! #ExecutiveHiring #LeadershipInsights #BehavioralInterviewing #HiringStrategies #LeadershipDevelopment #TalentAcquisition #ExecutiveConsulting #LeadershipQualities #CulturalFit

Measuring Success: How Competency-Based Assessments Can Accelerate Your Leadership If it’s you who feels stuck in your career despite putting in the effort. To help you gain measurable progress, one can use competency-based assessments to track skills development over time. 💢Why Competency-Based Assessments Matter: They provide measurable insights into where you stand, which areas you need improvement, and how to create a focused growth plan. This clarity can break through #career stagnation and ensure continuous development. 💡 Key Action Points: ⚜️Take Competency-Based Assessments: Track your skills and performance against defined standards. ⚜️Review Metrics Regularly: Ensure you’re making continuous progress in key areas. ⚜️Act on Feedback: Focus on areas that need development and take actionable steps for growth. 💢Recommended Assessments for Leadership Growth: For leaders looking to transition from Team Leader (TL) to Assistant Manager (AM) roles, here are some assessments that can help: 💥Hogan Leadership Assessment – Measures leadership potential, strengths, and areas for development. 💥Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0) – Evaluates emotional intelligence, crucial for leadership and collaboration. 💥DISC Personality Assessment – Focuses on behavior and communication styles, helping leaders understand team dynamics and improve collaboration. 💥Gallup CliftonStrengths – Identifies your top strengths and how to leverage them for leadership growth. 💥360-Degree Feedback Assessment – A holistic approach that gathers feedback from peers, managers, and subordinates to give you a well-rounded view of your leadership abilities. By using these tools, leaders can see where they excel and where they need development, providing a clear path toward promotion and career growth. Start tracking your progress with these competency-based assessments and unlock your full potential. #CompetencyAssessment #LeadershipGrowth #CareerDevelopment #LeadershipSkills

Small variations in prompts can lead to very different LLM responses. Research that measures LLM prompt sensitivity uncovers what matters, and the strategies to get the best outcomes. A new framework for prompt sensitivity, ProSA, shows that response robustness increases with factors including higher model confidence, few-shot examples, and larger model size. Some strategies you should consider given these findings: 💡 Understand Prompt Sensitivity and Test Variability: LLMs can produce different responses with minor rephrasings of the same prompt. Testing multiple prompt versions is essential, as even small wording adjustments can significantly impact the outcome. Organizations may benefit from creating a library of proven prompts, noting which styles perform best for different types of queries. 🧩 Integrate Few-Shot Examples for Consistency: Including few-shot examples (demonstrative samples within prompts) enhances the stability of responses, especially in larger models. For complex or high-priority tasks, adding a few-shot structure can reduce prompt sensitivity. Standardizing few-shot examples in key prompts across the organization helps ensure consistent output. 🧠 Match Prompt Style to Task Complexity: Different tasks benefit from different prompt strategies. Knowledge-based tasks like basic Q&A are generally less sensitive to prompt variations than complex, reasoning-heavy tasks, such as coding or creative requests. For these complex tasks, using structured, example-rich prompts can improve response reliability. 📈 Use Decoding Confidence as a Quality Check: High decoding confidence—the model’s level of certainty in its responses—indicates robustness against prompt variations. Organizations can track confidence scores to flag low-confidence responses and identify prompts that might need adjustment, enhancing the overall quality of outputs. 📜 Standardize Prompt Templates for Reliability: Simple, standardized templates reduce prompt sensitivity across users and tasks. For frequent or critical applications, well-designed, straightforward prompt templates minimize variability in responses. Organizations should consider a “best-practices” prompt set that can be shared across teams to ensure reliable outcomes. 🔄 Regularly Review and Optimize Prompts: As LLMs evolve, so may prompt performance. Routine prompt evaluations help organizations adapt to model changes and maintain high-quality, reliable responses over time. Regularly revisiting and refining key prompts ensures they stay aligned with the latest LLM behavior. Link to paper in comments.

You're a PM managing a product in a domain where you're not the expert. Healthcare. Fintech. Developer tools. Whatever. Your team has people who've been in this space for 15 years. And they know it. And you know it. And everyone knows it. Then you're in a product review and you make a recommendation. The domain expert engineer: "That's not how [industry thing] works..." The room shifts. Everyone looks at you. Your credibility is being tested. Most PMs respond in one of three broken ways: 1. Fake expertise: "Actually, I think it does work that way..." (Now you're wrong AND arrogant) 2. Defer completely: "You're right, what do you think we should do?" (Now you're a facilitator, not a PM) 3. Defensive: "Well, the user research shows..." (Now you're dismissing their expertise) All three erode your authority. Your authority as a PM doesn't come from being the smartest person about the domain. It comes from being the best person at making product decisions given incomplete information. Here's what actually works: 1. Separate domain knowledge from product judgment "You're right, I don't know [technical detail] as well as you do. Here's what I do know: [user problem, business context, strategic priority]. Given that, does it change your thinking?" 2. Make your reasoning transparent "Help me understand - if we do it the way you're suggesting, what's the tradeoff? Because from where I sit, I'm optimizing for [X], even if that means compromising on [Y]." 3. Use your lack of expertise as an asset "I don't have your expertise, which means I'm looking at this fresh. What am I missing that you see clearly?" 4. Know when domain trumps product Sometimes the expert is right and you're wrong. The key is knowing when to defer vs. when to push back. Defer when: Technical constraints, regulatory requirements, domain-specific risks Push when: User needs vs expert preferences, strategic priorities, resource tradeoffs Domain experts are really good at what's technically possible. They're often bad at what users actually need. Your job is to hold the tension between "can we" and "should we." The experts handle the "can we." You handle the "should we." Don't try to out-expert the experts. Out-strategize them. How do you handle being the least knowledgeable person in the room? #ProductManagement #Leadership #DomainExpertise #PMLife