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Why you should hire a CEO with more questions than answers

Asked to name the most important attribute chief executives need to succeed, Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Inc., did not choose subject-matter expertise, management acumen or even intelligence. Instead, he replied, "I would place my bet on curiosity."

Dell is one of more than a thousand CEOs asked the above question as part of a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) leadership survey, and he was not the only one who touted curiosity as a premier ingredient for success. While many others cited curiosity and open-mindedness as crucial characteristics, Alan Wilson, CEO of McCormick & Company, offered perhaps the most useful definition, noting that business leaders who "are always expanding their perspective and what they know and have that natural curiosity are the people that are going to be successful."

The thought process behind their responses looks like this: As valuable as an executive's knowledge base can be, it is limited to only informing decisions about which he or she is an expert. Armed with curiosity, however, a CEO will know how to ask the right questions and learn on the job, the tools required to build expertise on any topic.

While recognizing the value of curiosity can be a great starting point, identifying those who embody this cat-killing quality can be easier said than done. To help you discern which of your CEO candidates have what it takes to swallow their pride, ask questions, innovate and create, here are a few interviewing strategies:

Look for evidence of self-inspired learning

Instead of asking candidates to provide an instance in which they were creative or to explain what creativity means to them, look for more specific examples that prove their affinity for learning. Simply asking for an example of something candidates have taught themselves in the past six months can give you a great indication of how naturally curious they are, both inside and outside of the office. For more color, try following up by asking: "How did you go about teaching yourself this new skill or idea, and what was the result?" Their answers to these questions can also indicate their learning style and give you a sense for how they react when faced with a difficult or unfamiliar situation.

Test their curiosity yourself

One of the best ways to see first-hand how candidates perform in unfamiliar territory is to give them a task to research before the interview. This bit of homework will give them a chance to flex their curiosity muscles and demonstrate how deep they dig into a new topic before deeming themselves comfortable enough to field questions or present on it.

Put stock in the age-old final question

Most interviewers end conversations with potential new hires by offering them a chance to ask any questions they might have about the role or the company. While some candidates will brush this off as a formality or merely pose weak questions for the sake of having something to ask, truly curious people will have original, pointed questions that hint at their passion for learning and understanding.

Working with a retained executive search firm can help your company better identify CEO candidates with curious minds who can transform the culture of your c-level staff.

Finding people is easy, but finding the RIGHT people is not. YES Partners helps companies FIND the right people for all company functions, across many industries and globally.

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