Episode #132:  The Only Four Questions You’ll Ever Need: Hiring & Leading with Wisdom

What if great hiring didn’t start with resumes—but with a few courageous questions and deep listening?

In this thought-provoking episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce podcast, host Suzie Price sits down with executive coach and hiring expert Allan DeNiro to uncover the Only Four Questions You’ll Ever Need—a radically simple yet powerful framework for hiring and leading with wisdom.

Drawing on decades of leadership across public and private companies, Allan shares why most hiring failures come down to one thing: a mismatch in values, not skills. You’ll learn how to uncover a candidate’s dealbreakers before it's too late, why self-awareness is the ultimate success metric, and how listening—really listening—can change everything in leadership.

Whether you’re hiring your first team member or leading a large organization, this episode will challenge the way you think about interviews, culture, and connection.

You’ll walk away inspired to talk less, listen more, and lead with curiosity, clarity, and kindness.

Takeaways of Episode #132 --- 

• Ditch the Resume. Ask These Four Questions Instead.
  Allan DeNiro flips the traditional interview script with just four open-ended questions—questions that uncover who someone truly is, not just what’s printed on their resume. His radically simple approach helps leaders avoid hiring disasters by getting to the heart of a candidate’s values, motivations, and fit. The magic? Talk less. Listen more. And ask what really matters.
  
• Most People Fail at Work for One Reason—And It’s Not What You Think.
  According to Allan, 90% of job failures aren't about technical skills—they’re about poor cultural fit and low self-awareness. That’s why his method—and  the TriMetrix assessments Suzie uses—zero in on who someone is, not just what they’ve done. It’s about hiring humans, not resumes.
  
• Your Deal Breakers Might Be the Key to Your Best Hire.
  One of Allan’s four questions invites candidates to reveal their “deal breakers”—those hidden non-negotiables that cause quick exits. Why? Because identifying misalignments before the offer prevents costly “train wrecks” later. It’s a game-changing mindset shift: Interviews aren’t just for vetting candidates—they're also a moment to protect culture and momentum
  

Episode Recap:

Suzie Price welcomes leadership consultant, author, and executive advisor Allan DeNiro to the show for a deeply insightful conversation on hiring, leadership, and the power of listening. With decades of experience helping organizations make better people decisions, Allan introduces his transformative “Only Four Questions” approach to interviewing—designed to uncover the values, motivations, and cultural fit that traditional resumes often miss.

Through practical examples and personal reflections, Allan reveals why most hiring mistakes come from ignoring fit, not skills, and how asking the right open-ended questions can prevent costly misalignments. He also shares leadership lessons from his career, including the importance of humility, having a “contrarian” in your corner, and always leading with curiosity and clarity.

Listeners will leave with fresh tools for building stronger teams—whether you’re hiring a new employee or mentoring your next leader. From deal breakers to culture protection, this episode is packed with wisdom for anyone looking to lead and hire with greater purpose.

The episode wraps with the Wellbeing 2.0 segment featuring Douglas White, who brings powerful insights on emotional resilience, leadership presence, and aligning with your excellence—reminding us that how we feel is feedback that fuels high performance.

In this episode:

[00:28:39] Suzie Price: “People want to be seen, heard, and understood—and that doesn’t happen with resumes. It happens when we take time to ask and truly listen.”

[00:43:30] Allan DeNiro: “If a person’s dealbreakers don’t line up with your company’s culture, no amount of skill can make that work long-term.”

[01:02:28] Suzie Price: “When we stop talking and really listen, we open the door to insight—not just about others, but about ourselves as leaders.”

[01:09:22] Allan DeNiro : “The best leaders I’ve met aren’t the loudest—they’re the ones asking the best questions and making others feel safe enough to answer honestly.”

[01:33:26] Douglas White: “Leadership isn't about never falling down. It’s about building the muscle to get back up and keep leading with clarity, even in chaos.”

Get a Workplace Motivators Assessment and review motivators resources:  www.motivatorsppd.com

Connect with Allan DeNiro

• LinkedIn
  
• Website

Related PPD’s Suzie Price – Services:

• Wake Up Eager Hiring and Interviewing Services

Related Podcasts:

• Podcast #50 How to Evaluate Job Fit: What Great Hiring Managers Do with SVP Jack Patterson, HUB International
• Podcast #81 Hiring with Trimetrix: Why and How It Works
• Article:  Use the Right Map - So You Don't Get Lost!  (Using this Insight for Better Hires...)
• Article: Employee Engagement Strategy: Match Job Rewards to Employee Motivators, Here’s How…

Connect with Suzie:

• LinkedIn: Suzie Price
• LinkedIn: Priceless Professional Development
• LinkedIn: Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast

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