LESSON 2 OF 6 · BEGINNER
Define success with the hiring manager
Ask what a successful person will accomplish, under what conditions and with what support. Separate tasks from outcomes and essentials from preferences. Performance-focused role definition is associated with Lou Adler’s work; this academy uses original intake exercises rather than reproducing his proprietary system. Review requirements for job relevance before using them to screen.
Replace three vague adjectives with observable responsibilities and evidence.
About 2 minutes reading + 12 minutes practice. Take longer when needed.
Apply the method
Run intake in three passes. First ask what business problem the role solves. Next identify the work and outcomes expected during the first months. Finally distinguish essential qualifications, learnable skills and preferences. For each criterion, ask what evidence would demonstrate it and why it matters. Challenge a requirement respectfully if it has no clear connection to the work. Calibrate the brief with the manager using two fictional profiles before sourcing. Lou Adler’s public work emphasizes defining success through performance; the intake exercise here is original and is not a reproduction of his training system.
A worked application
Fictional example: A warehouse manager asks for five years in the exact industry. Discussion shows the real requirement is leading a safe shift handoff and coordinating equipment downtime. The team retains necessary technical and safety requirements but removes an unsupported industry preference. A candidate from another operational setting can then be assessed against relevant work evidence rather than rejected solely for a different employer background.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not replace one vague adjective with another. An observable responsibility should let two evaluators explain what evidence they are seeking.
Work through the case
FICTIONAL SCENARIO
A service manager asks for a dynamic person. A better brief specifies response-time ownership, coaching responsibilities and the ability to resolve escalations with limited supervision.
Make it practical
Replace three vague adjectives with observable responsibilities and evidence.
Compare your reasoning with a worked response
Describe what someone must do and how you would evaluate it. Do not turn style similarity into a requirement.
Takeaway
Use the method to explain your decision, identify what you still need to verify and choose an accountable next step.
Treat the response as a model for reasoning, not the only possible wording. Adapt it to the role, evidence and appropriate organizational guidance.