The Science of Leading

Why Polished Answers Fail Communication Tests

Claire Monroe and Edwin Carrington break down why many communication assessments measure polish instead of performance, and how that leads hiring teams to miss candidates who can actually create clarity, listen well, and de-escalate tension on the job. They then lay out a better approach: job analysis, realistic work samples, standardized prompts, and anchored rubrics that score observable behaviors instead of gut feel.

Why Great Communicators Are a Hiring Myth

Claire Monroe and Edwin Carrington unpack why interviews often confuse charisma with real communication ability, and why that can lead hiring teams astray. They share practical ways to assess job-relevant communication through structured work samples, clear rubrics, and role-specific scenarios that reveal how candidates actually perform.

The Manager Interview Question That Exposes Real Leadership

This episode breaks down the interview questions that reveal whether a manager can actually lead under pressure, from handling underperformance and conflict to delegating effectively and motivating different personalities. It also shows how structured interviews and clear rubrics help organizations judge judgment, accountability, and results instead of getting dazzled by charisma.

Why “Not a Fit” Decides Hiring—and How to Fix It

This episode breaks down why vague “fit” judgments often mask familiarity, bias, and charisma, and why they can outweigh real evidence. It also lays out a better interview system built on behavioral, technical, and values-based questions, plus standardized scorecards and follow-up.

Why Structured Interviews Beat Gut Feel

Claire Monroe and Edwin Carrington break down why most interviews reward confidence, charisma, and bias instead of real hiring signal. They explain how structured interviews, standardized questions, and clear rubrics improve fairness, comparability, and predictive validity. The conversation also explores the three core hiring attributes—role-related knowledge, problem solving, and leadership—and how behavioral and hypothetical questions can uncover better evidence of future performance.