Paycom Promotion Interview
What is your biggest personal accomplishment?
My biggest personal accomplishment has been successfully transitioning industries in the implementation world. While some may consider that a professional accomplishment, it was something that I had to put a lot and thought and consideration into. I had to transition my skill sets and re-apply knowledge that I previously learned. It also was a huge step for me as I only ever knew the healthcare world.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
My biggest professional accomplishment is implementing Synthetic Turf Resources. A multi-fein client, with multiple sets of leadership teams, and a full product suite, they were bound to be challenging, especially being in the manufacturing and installation industry. More than 70% of their employees speak Spanish as their primary language, so employee self service trainings were particularly difficult, especially when trying to gain employee buy in for correcting their own punches. In addition, they implemented tax by allocation for the first time, which was nothing short of challenging, as they have over 200 jobs in 40+ states. The reason that STR resonates as my biggest professional accomplishment is not based off of soley the client size and the complexity, but rather because I learned so much from that implementation, and any chance I am given to learn is considered an accomplishment to me.
What do you want the role? Why is management next step, and not Ultracare?
My heart is in management, but I absolutely would be looking for a step towards career advancement in any role that is available. I would be excited to showcase my skills and abilities at ultracare as the next level, as I feel as if they are key contributors to our organization and are leaders in implementation process improvement. However, management is something that I've always sought after as I have a passion for developing talent within an organization, analyzing metrics and creating plans for improvement, and acting as a trusted leader.
What do you think defines a good leader?
A good leader should develop the commitment, abilities, and skills of their employees so they're self-motivated instead of being dependent on someone else telling them what to do and when to do it. Good leaders also must be able to adapt to situations, and adjust their leadership style accordingly.
What are the maturity levels of situational leadership?
- High (M4): Very capable and confident. Individuals are experienced at the task and comfortable with their own ability to do it well. They are able and willing to not only do the task, but to take responsibility for the task. - Moderate (M3): Individuals are experienced and able to do the task but lack the confidence or willingness to take on responsibility. - Moderate (M2): Individuals are more able to do the task; however, they are demotivated for the job. - Low (M1): Individuals lack the specific skills required for the job in hand and they are willing to work the task. They are novice, but enthusiastic.
What are the 4 behavior styles of situational leadership?
- Telling: Individuals lack the specific skills required for the job in hand and they are willing to work the task. They are novice, but enthusiastic. - Selling: Individuals are more able to do the task; however, they are demotivated for the job. - Participating: Individuals are experienced and able to do the task but lack the confidence or willingness to take on responsibility. - Delegating: Individuals are experienced at the task and comfortable with their own ability to do it well. They are able and willing to not only do the task, but to take responsibility for the task.
What is your biggest weakness?
An area that I've identified as a weakness is the tendency to take on too many tasks. When reviewing my SOI results, they actually hit the nail on the head as it describes Creative Designers as someone who tends to take on multiple tasks at a time, and then gets really excited about starting and working through the task, but then finds themselves bored towards the end of the task when it's wrapping down, so they sign up for new tasks to re-ignite the excitement. I always make sure to see the task through completion, but I sometimes find myself overwhelmed by how many active tasks/side projects I am working on. Interestingly enough, prior to reviewing my SOI results earlier last year, I don't think I was fully aware of that weakness. I attributed it as a "strength" in the sense that I am a "team player" and a "go-getter" but recently, I've been more aware of this as a weakness. I've tried to allow other's to volunteer to complete a task before being the first one to jump in. I've also been more self-aware of how many additional projects I'm working on before starting a new one, and setting more realistic deadlines.
How do you approach the accountability/responsibility issue with respect to team goals versus individual performance goals? Use examples to demonstrate.
Approaching accountability issues with respect to team goals versus individual goals is a delicate balance. The first thing that I will want to identify is what motivates the TSR in question, and how to they want to be lead? Are they money motivated, and the goal is not tied to a monetary incentive? Are they metrics motivated, and the goal is not tied to a metric? It's important to identify this, because not everyone is motivated by the same factors. If Ryan were to tell me today, "Torri, you need to contribute to this team project because you can get a $1000 bonus" quite frankly, I wouldn't really care. I would rather be told "Torri, if you participate in this team project, it's something that will look good on your functional Paycom resume" and I will be more inclined to act as a contributor. So, once I've identified what it is that motivates the employee, I would cross reference that with the goal at hand. Is there a way that I can incorporate motivational factors into the task, in a way that resonates with the TSR? If so, I would have that discussion with them and pitch that idea. However, if it's just not something that the TSR finds interesting and is not motivated to complete, I may have to go surface level with them and let them know that while this particular goal that we're looking to reach is not something that they are interested in, it's an important goal for our team and there will be additional goals in the future that may be more incentivizing but we need the team's buy in for now.
How to develop senior TSRs?
Developing senior TSRs will certainly be where I am faced with the most challenges in my new leadership position, however, it's important that I focus on leadership qualities and not "how long I've been at Paycom vs. they have been at Paycom." If I am selected for this leadership position, the senior TSRs will be the first employees that I am looking to gain buy in from, and it will all fall back on trust. I want them to first and foremost understand that I think *everyone* on the team has the ability to learn something from others. At the end of the day, we all have strength and weaknesses, so it will be important that we share our strengths and provide feedback in the weaknesses. Next, I will open up the floor for the TSR to provide their own feedback in regards to areas in which they feel like they need improvement, and where they think I can help them. After gaining an understanding of where they're currently at, I will share my vision with them to let them know how I plan to assist in their development, through deep dive of metrics and performance and creating performance plans that are individualized to each TSR.
What do you expect of your employees?
First and foremost, I expect that my employees show up every day with a positive attitude. An author, Jackson Brown, once said "improve your performance by improving your attitude." The second thing that I'd ask of my employees is that they TRY. It's very easy to assume a binary approach, especially in an organization that measures metrics very closely. Either yes, you did, or no, you did not. Zeros and ones. However, I would never assume that a "zero" is based off of lack of effort.
How do you establish and maintain trusting, positive, and productive relationships? Explain, using examples.
Establishing trusting and positive relationships typically is most effective if done early on by acting a resource for others, in any way possible, whenever possible. For example, I have rolled out a "New Employee Questionnaire" at the Buckhead office, that I provide to each employee (whether TSR, Sales, or CRR) when they first join the office. I make sure to stop by their desk, introduce myself, leave the questionnaire, and I also give them a few tips & tricks about the physical location of the building and ask if there's anything that I can do to help them feel welcomed. This has gone a long way, as we have a fairly large office, and I am probably the one person in the office that everyone knows my name, and I know everyone's name (sounds crazy, but it's true!). I've found that following introducing myself to new employees, they always come to me for advice, whether its Paycom related, office related, process related etc, even if they're not on my team. This tells me that I've built a trusting relationship between that employee, and they value my feedback. This will be especially pertinent for new TSRs that join the team, as when the relationship starts off on a positive note, it's much easier to maintain that relationship. If you start off on the wrong foot with someone, and then later try to build a positive relationship with them, they tend to question your motives.
What would we be leaving behind if we don't hire you?
First and foremost, I would like to take a moment to recognize the talent in the candidate pool - I am very honored to be in this interview process, as I have been mentored by not one, but 2 of the other candidates, and I am familiar with how strong the remaining candidates are. However, every person that is being interviewed will have something that sets them apart. For me, I believe that to be my strong background in implementation and the opportunities that I've had to grow and develop teams in the past, as well as at Paycom. Given that I have a broad view of the implementation spectrum, I have seen many different approaches to implementation and the characteristics and qualities that make up the specialists in those roles. This is something that I find very valuable, as I believe it's lead me to be more proficient in my people skills and has given me the opportunity to have insight into situational leadership. I've personally had the chance to hire a team of my own, from recruiting to onboarding, to measuring performance and metrics in their initial onboarding phases and beyond. And while I haven't specifically been involved in those processes at Paycom, I have taken on each opportunity that presents itself, whether it's new TSRs or new sales reps. My desire to form relationships and build bridges between the team has been very productive in the Paycom Buckhead office, and I've love to continue those efforts in an official capacity.
How would you feel if "so and so" gets the job and you don't? How would you reply?
I believe that "so and so" is a huge asset to our organization, so I would feel honored to have interviewed alongside that individual. I would first congratulate them and let them know how thrilled I am that they have been given an opportunity to take Paycom to the next level. Hopefully, in the future, I would have the chance to learn from that individual so that I too can assume a management role in the future, with their mentorship.
What would you do if you had a TSR that isn't performing well?
I would first ensure that I have a background on the individual's SOI and where they fall under the situational leadership theory. Does the individual respond best to coaching, directing, delegating, or supporting? These are items that I would factor into my performance plan. Depending on where the individual falls, I may or may not let them know that I have developed a performance improvement plan to get them back on track. It's important to let your team know that it's about growth, not punishment or fear, and to also let them know that we have set goals that are attainable and we'll work on achieving them together. Of course, write ups and disciplinary action are a part of being a leader as well, but I would try to avoid jumping straight to that scenario - not out of fear of conflict, but out of ensuring that such actions are utilized only when appropriate, and the individual has been given a chance to improve.
In your experience, what has been the most effective method of developing the skills and capabilities of your employees (or yourself?) Elaborate, using examples.
In my experience, I have found that following a "Teach, reflect, pivot" technique has been an effective method of developing future skills. Whether it's for myself or for employees, I always start by teaching (or learning) the content, skill, or task that needs to be completed. From there, the skill or capability is demonstrated or performed, ideally 1-3 times. After performing the new skill, re-visit the experience - what went well, or what did not go well, and why? For the specific techniques that were performed well, how can we refine these skills to be even more effective? For the skills or techniques that were not performed well, do we need to completely pivot and try something new, do we need to keep practicing the same skills in the same setting, do we need to practice the same skills in a different setting? Once this has been evaluated, you essentially start the process over and continue to evolve as your skills are developed.
How do you prepare for a meeting where you know you will receive a great deal of resistance from people who you need to adopt your specific agenda?
In order to effectively prepare for a meeting in which you know you'll be faced with a great deal of resistance, the key is to prepare, and know your audience. What type of meeting is this? A kick off meeting? What background can the sales team give me? If it's an escalation call, I would want to work with the TSR and NCS team to have context regarding the situation and prepare an action plan going into the meeting. An example that resonates with me is an escalation call that I handled for a client, Superior Cleaning Solutions. The transition itself was not the smoothest as the client had very high expectations, and then the TSR that was previously assigned the account was no longer with Paycom, and the account was transitioned to me. During that process, a lot of background information was lost, and the client was clearly frustrated by the change in transition specialists. Ultimately, we successfully made it through the transition, only to found ourselves at a roadblock after processing our first payroll, as the client was not aware that they were wire instead of ACH. This truly was a deal-breaker for them, and they already started re-keying their payroll into their previous provider. During this time, I worked with NCS, my manager, my regional manager, the banking team, and sales team to develop an action plan. The following morning, we called into the meeting and I briefly provided the context of why the meeting was occurring, what our proposed solution is, and essentially let the client know that while we appreciate their business, the solutions provided are the final solutions. I think taking charge of that meeting and setting my own agenda really facilitated the client's response, in a way where they felt assured that we had done our due diligence. Of course, each scenario is different, but preparation and knowing your audience will take you a long way.
What are your goals as a leader?
My number one goal as a leader will be to develop my employees in such a way that our foundation is built on trust, they are self-motivated, and want to do the job. There will be many factors that are tied into self-motivation and wanting to do the job, such as increased metrics and a positive work environment, but truthfully, I feel as if my team trusts me and they are self-motivated, results will follow. Recently, I've found a lot of satisfaction in having the opportunity to assist with developing the newer sales reps in the office. I always volunteer to take on their first deals that they sell, whereas others shy away in fear of the deal being messy. However, I've found that establishing a relationship early on has been far more effective in producing positive outputs. For example, I'll ask the sales rep if they want to sit down and do the client setup tab in launch together, and during that process, I'll make sure that they know it's ultimately their responsibility in the future, but it allows me to explain to them why each section is so important and how it can cause issues in the implementation later down the line if done incorrectly. My approach for new hires and even existing employees will be the same.
What makes you different than the other candidates that we're interviewing?
One thing that sets me apart from other candidates is that I haven't been at Paycom as long as some of the other candidates. While some may easily consider that a weakness, I actually consider it a strength as I have a global, open view, to Paycom's methodology. In addition, I have been in the implementation industry for over 5 years. In my most recent role, I implemented a "start up" product in a well-defined organization - which meant that they had the resources available to fully develop our roles, processes, and resources. However, the role certainly came with challenges - as the product was underdeveloped. In this role, I found a great deal of professional development, specifically around creating and developing project plans that suited each client, and conflict resolution. In addition, I worked closely with the development team, sat on process improvement teams, and developed training materials for the organization regarding submitting product feedback through JIRA. Lastly, I have found that in my previous role, the relationship with the sales team was completely separated from the implementation team. When I came to Paycom, I found it very exciting to have the opportunity to work so closely with sales. I have built a very strong relationship with the sales team and the sales manager, and acted as a resource for them. These are a few of the highlights that I would say set me apart from other candidates applying for this role.
What would you focus on in the first 30 days in the management position?
The first 30 days will focus on gaining an understanding of the team, cultivating trust, and building a leadership vision. •Review personal and professional goals •Understand SOI Results •Diagnose Development Level Descriptors •Meet with previous TSR Manager to understand dynamics •Meet with Sales Manager to understand any potential strengths and weaknesses between TSR and Sales team •Develop a team vision
If you get the job, what do you do first?
The first thing that I'd like to do is get to know the team and establish trust. As a new leader, I will assure the team that we share the same goals and that I want to help lead them to achieving those goals. Establishing trust early on will allow for increased communication and a more effective feedback cycle, as my role as a leader develops. I will also work to develop or refine the personal relationships and qualities of each TSR on the team, and start to really break down those relationships to see where they fall under the situational leadership theory. Establishing trust and taking the right approach early on will be critical, as it will allow for a more effective feedback cycle as my role develops in the 60-90 day timeframe.
What would you focus on in the first 60 days of the management position?
The second month will focus on providing feedback to each TSR, through metric and performance analysis: •Share the team vision and have each TSR develop their own goal plan •Review each TSRs metrics, including DDX Scores, HCM Completion, Project Plan Usage, BUS, Average Resection Completion, and more •Consistently meet 1:1 and as a team to review individual and team metrics •Develop a plan for each TSR to increase metrics based on opportunity for improvement
What would you focus on in the first 90 days of the management position?
The third month will focus on combining metric analysis and goal setting to drive continued performance improvement: •Create a visual trend map of metrics, highlighting improvements in the first 60 days as well as areas for opportunity •Invite each TSR to present and share their individual plan for performance improvement, as well as share ideas for team improvement •Achieve and celebrate goals as a team •Identify areas for personal and team improvement as a leader in the organization, using first 90 days as the foundation
You've only been at Paycom for a year - why do you feel like you're qualified for a management position?
Well, leadership isn't always defined by your position. Thinking back to my interview process for the TSR role, something I was excited about when interviewing with Paycom was that my direct manager was someone who had held a TSR role. At face value, it's easy to attribute "tenure in your position" as "being good at being a manager for that position" however that's truly not the case. A good manager is someone who understands how to effectively change their management style for each member of their team based off of where they fall in the situational leadership model. They're someone who can handle internal and external conflicts. They're someone who defines and shares a common vision that aligns with Paycom's core values. So, while I haven't been at *Paycom* for as long as others in our organization, I wouldn't define my success in the organization by my tenure but rather by my understanding of effectively leading a group of individuals as a team.