The interview went well, but communication became difficult after the person joined. When you wonder whether someone fits the workplace, what could you clarify first?
Mind Match considers shared and differing values and expectations between people, work, and organizations. This article suggests questions for applying that perspective to everyday conversations.
01 Ask about a specific moment when things felt out of sync.
“It doesn’t feel right” can refer to different issues: the task itself, the way work is done, or when to ask for advice. Start by asking when it happened, what the task was, and what actually took place.
“What was happening when you felt that way?”
“How did you want to approach the work at that moment?”
For example, an employee might expect to work independently while the manager expects a check before proceeding. This is a hypothetical illustration. Before judging motivation or ability, explore the working approach each side imagined.
02 Put the employee’s and workplace’s expectations side by side.
Does what the company explained match what the employee understood? Words such as “autonomy” or “working together” can create different expectations when each side imagines a different situation.
| What to clarify | Employee’s expectations | Workplace’s expectations |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomy | How much they want to decide independently | Which decisions need to be checked |
| How to ask for advice | When and how they want to ask for advice | When and how they expect updates |
| What matters in the work | What they want to prioritize | What they need to protect |
If expectations differ, ask why before drawing a conclusion. Separating purposes that need to be protected from methods that can be adjusted can help identify what to explore next.
A worksheet for comparing expectations before and after joining
Write down the situation from both the employee’s and workplace’s perspectives.
Read and print the worksheet03 Agree on one thing to check next.
Rather than solving everything in one meeting, choose one thing to try in the next task. For example, agree in advance which decisions need a check, try that approach, and then review the experience together.
Record who will do what and when you will review it. This makes the next conversation clearer. Keep the speaker’s words separate from the listener’s interpretation, and agree on who may see the notes.
Keep talking after you understand the differences.
People and organizations change. Instead of treating the hiring conversation as a final answer, revisit your understanding as work unfolds. Start by discussing one specific situation together.
Perspective drawn from the supplied “Mind Match: A Reading and Practice Guide,” including its discussion of people and their environment, hiring, and one-to-one conversations. The questions, table, and worksheets are editorial applications, not real company cases or procedures with demonstrated hiring or retention effects.
KIBI’s official introduction to Mind Match