Questions to Ask During Hot Seat
Strategic questions that help you gather critical information, challenge assumptions, and demonstrate your analytical thinking during intense questioning sessions.
1What specific evidence or data supports this conclusion, and how was it validated?
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What specific evidence or data supports this conclusion, and how was it validated?
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Why this works
Tests the foundation of their argument and reveals the quality of their research and analytical process.
2What alternative explanations or scenarios have you considered, and why did you rule them out?
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What alternative explanations or scenarios have you considered, and why did you rule them out?
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Why this works
Reveals their critical thinking depth and shows whether they've explored multiple possibilities or jumped to conclusions.
3What would need to be true for this approach to fail, and how would you know if that's happening?
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What would need to be true for this approach to fail, and how would you know if that's happening?
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Why this works
Tests their risk assessment skills and reveals their contingency planning and monitoring capabilities.
4How does this decision align with our stated values and long-term strategic objectives?
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How does this decision align with our stated values and long-term strategic objectives?
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Why this works
Ensures consistency with organizational principles and reveals whether they've considered broader implications.
5What assumptions are you making that, if wrong, would completely change your recommendation?
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What assumptions are you making that, if wrong, would completely change your recommendation?
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Why this works
Identifies critical dependencies and reveals their awareness of potential blind spots in their analysis.
6How have you validated this approach with stakeholders who would be most affected by this decision?
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How have you validated this approach with stakeholders who would be most affected by this decision?
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Why this works
Tests their stakeholder management and reveals whether they've considered real-world implementation challenges.
7What would success look like in six months, and how will you measure whether you've achieved it?
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What would success look like in six months, and how will you measure whether you've achieved it?
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Why this works
Forces concrete thinking about outcomes and reveals their ability to set measurable goals and track progress.
8What resources would be required to implement this, and do we currently have access to them?
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What resources would be required to implement this, and do we currently have access to them?
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Why this works
Tests practical feasibility and reveals whether they've considered real-world constraints and resource availability.
9How does this compare to industry best practices or what successful organizations in similar situations have done?
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How does this compare to industry best practices or what successful organizations in similar situations have done?
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Why this works
Reveals their benchmarking and competitive analysis, showing whether they've learned from others' experiences.
10What's the worst-case scenario if this doesn't work, and how would you mitigate those risks?
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What's the worst-case scenario if this doesn't work, and how would you mitigate those risks?
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Why this works
Tests their risk management thinking and reveals their ability to plan for failure scenarios.
11How would you explain this decision to someone who has no background in this area?
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How would you explain this decision to someone who has no background in this area?
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Why this works
Tests their communication skills and reveals whether they truly understand the concept well enough to simplify it.
12What would you do differently if you had unlimited time and resources?
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What would you do differently if you had unlimited time and resources?
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Why this works
Reveals their ideal approach and helps identify what constraints are driving their current recommendation.
13How have you tested or validated this approach in a low-risk environment?
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How have you tested or validated this approach in a low-risk environment?
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Why this works
Reveals their experimental mindset and shows whether they've sought to reduce uncertainty before full implementation.
14What feedback have you received from people who have tried similar approaches, and what did you learn from them?
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What feedback have you received from people who have tried similar approaches, and what did you learn from them?
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Why this works
Tests their learning from others' experiences and reveals their networking and knowledge-gathering efforts.
15How would you prioritize this relative to other initiatives, and what would you deprioritize to make room for it?
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How would you prioritize this relative to other initiatives, and what would you deprioritize to make room for it?
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Why this works
Reveals their strategic thinking and shows whether they understand opportunity costs and resource allocation.
16What would need to change in our organization or environment for this to be more successful?
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What would need to change in our organization or environment for this to be more successful?
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Why this works
Tests their systems thinking and reveals their understanding of organizational dynamics and change management.
17How would you handle resistance or pushback from key stakeholders?
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How would you handle resistance or pushback from key stakeholders?
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Why this works
Reveals their change management skills and shows whether they've anticipated and planned for human factors.
18What would you do if the initial results were disappointing but you still believed in the approach?
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What would you do if the initial results were disappointing but you still believed in the approach?
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Why this works
Tests their persistence and adaptability, revealing how they handle setbacks and whether they can pivot effectively.
19How does this fit with our current capabilities and culture, and what would need to change?
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How does this fit with our current capabilities and culture, and what would need to change?
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Why this works
Reveals their organizational awareness and shows whether they understand the cultural and capability requirements.
20What would you want to know in six months that would tell you whether this was the right decision?
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What would you want to know in six months that would tell you whether this was the right decision?
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Why this works
Forces forward-thinking about evaluation and reveals their ability to design learning and feedback loops.
Mastering Hot Seat Questioning
Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.
Best Practices
Focus on Evidence and Logic
Ask questions that test the foundation of their argument, looking for data, validation, and logical reasoning.
Challenge Assumptions
Identify and question the underlying assumptions that drive their conclusions, especially those that could invalidate their approach.
Test Practical Feasibility
Ensure they've considered real-world constraints, resources, and implementation challenges beyond theoretical analysis.
Question Sequences
The Evidence Tester
The Risk Assessor
Common Pitfalls
Don't Make It Personal
Focus on the ideas and analysis, not the person. Challenge the thinking, not the individual's competence or character.
Don't Ask Leading Questions
Avoid questions that suggest the answer you want. Ask open-ended questions that reveal their true thinking.
Don't Skip the Why
Always ask for reasoning and evidence. Don't accept conclusions without understanding the logic behind them.