Tell me about a time you needed a decision from someone who didn't share your expertise. How did you make the case in their terms?
Why this works
The failure mode isn't the explanation — it's explaining what matters to you instead of what matters to them. Anchoring on a real decision, rather than a live "explain X to me", shows whether the candidate translates stakes into the listener's terms when something is on the line.
Follow-up probes
- What did you deliberately leave out, and why?
- What question from them surprised you?
- Did they decide the way you'd hoped — what moved them?
What good looks like
Framing built around the decider's stakes rather than technical completeness, a check that understanding actually landed, and a clear account of what was simplified without being misleading.
Red flags
The story is about dumbing it down for people who "didn't get it", communication equated with sending the document, or the same pitch delivered to every audience.
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