Business Chief APAC+ANZ Magazine August 2015 | Page 13

CEO PROFILE : DEAN MEHMET why we are doing what we are doing and how that fits in with our core values and the aspirations of our corporation and customers .
Additionally , we don ’ t just discuss the organization but also provide our people the broader picture - what ’ s going on in the world and in the markets we are dealing with .
One of our largest mining clients recently hosted a workshop at his site and afterwards told me that the most engaged people – and the most difficult questions he received – were from Hastings Deering . He commended us on our ability to educate our people about what is going on outside the four walls of just our company .
Q . What traits do you look for when hiring new staff ? The assessment process at Hastings Deering begins with an evaluation of core values and beliefs — there are a lot of psychometric tests one can do to easily ascertain those traits .
We also look for a diversity of background and a diversity of thought . For us , diversity has many , many facets , and gender is clearly important as this has historically been
a male-dominated environment , at least in Australia . Having a company that looks more like the world we live in is important and we as an organization are trying to address this .
More importantly , there are a variety of different backgrounds and experiences that people have brought from different cultures and organizations : We look to bring that diversity of experience into the business to give us broader , more rounded and ( hopefully !) better decision-making abilities .
Q . What is your go-to question during interviews ? “ Give me an example of a time when you were part of a team that made a difference .”
The answer isn ’ t really important ; I get people to talk through the part they played and how it made them feel , which links right back to the values piece . You can get a really good idea about a person when they explain a time they feel they made a difference .
Q . What made you want to join the Hastings Deering team ? I ’ ve worked in the industry that Hastings Deering supports for many ,
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