Good leaders could learn a thing or two from a fictional TV homicide detective named Lt. Columbo. A true staple, the program ran on American network television for more than 30 years. In every episode, the show’s writers include an interview technique which has become Columbo’s trademark. As you might recall, the disheveled and clumsy Columbo is highly deferential to suspects. Combined with absentmindedness’, he lulls criminals into a false sense of security. Viewers have come to know the pattern well. Columbo asks a suspect a series of questions that doesn’t seem to add up to much. At the conclusion of his interview, he steps toward the door and, just before leaving, turns away and says, “One more thing,” or “There’s something I forgot to ask.” He then asks the key question that reveals everything he really wants to know.
This is an original post with undesirable implications. This critical question approach could criminalize employees by making them suspicious and deserving of a detective's approach. Employees are suffering enough as it is in the Era of Digital Taylorism and thus the last thing we need is managers acting out Lt. Columbo.
Certainly would be undesirable if the recommendation is to actually act like a detective looking for a guilty party. The analogy stops with the idea of framing questions the same way as Columbo did.
We hear what you're saying about the "suspicion of a detective's approach" and agree! The analogy is about a character who was decidedly counter-intuitive to the typical investigator.
There is a lot to be redeem from the way the questions he asked were framed.
This is an original post with undesirable implications. This critical question approach could criminalize employees by making them suspicious and deserving of a detective's approach. Employees are suffering enough as it is in the Era of Digital Taylorism and thus the last thing we need is managers acting out Lt. Columbo.
Certainly would be undesirable if the recommendation is to actually act like a detective looking for a guilty party. The analogy stops with the idea of framing questions the same way as Columbo did.
We hear what you're saying about the "suspicion of a detective's approach" and agree! The analogy is about a character who was decidedly counter-intuitive to the typical investigator.
There is a lot to be redeem from the way the questions he asked were framed.