The Perils of Playback

Business conversations are full of playback. A colleague tells you something (insights from an analysis, a requested action, etc.) and you “play it back” to ensure you got it right. In most business interactions, playback is a great thing—it helps us eliminate confusion.

Many interviewers use playback liberally with candidates. This usually takes the form of “It sounds like…” sentences (as in, “It sounds like X happened”) or “So you…” sentences (as in, “So you did A, B and C”).

Playback is when you form and test a hypothesis about your understanding of a candidate’s story. It’s essentially you putting words in their mouth. And it’s very risky in interviews, because the stakes are enormously high—a job offer hangs in the balance!

The obvious risk is that you are wrong—you misunderstood the candidate, and now you are broadcasting a faulty judgment, either positive or negative:

Faulty Positive

You: “So you drove that product innovation, and that’s how you won the big contract?” Candidate: “Actually, no, we cut our price…” (Uh-oh, now I’ve disappointed you!)

Faulty Negative

You: “It sounds like he missed his deadline, so your project was delayed?” Candidate: “No, I did his work myself, and we got it done.” (Do you think I’m a slacker?)

Even if your playback is correct (i.e., the candidate confirms it), it’s still problematic. Why? Because playback is a constant reminder of your judgment. Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes—you’re sharing vulnerable stories about your professional past, and your future boss is constantly broadcasting their interpretations. How comfortable would you feel sharing your next story? How excited would you be to work with this person thereafter?

“OK, Jordan, but what if the candidate’s story doesn’t make sense, and we need to clarify it?” Fine. Just ask an open-ended question about the part that’s not clear:

• “What was the biggest impact of your innovation on that deal?”
• “What happened to your project after he missed his deadline?”

You have found a path to clarity without the judgment!

There are rare occasions when playback is OK: when the content is fairly “inert” (it’s not core to the candidate’s success or failure) and when you really need to move on. Otherwise, kill the playbacks.

Here’s a simple way to break the habit: when you feel the urge to play something back, just say the word “What…?” It’s fine if you don’t know what to say next. Pauses are fine! This will train your brain to stay curious and resist the impulse to put words in their mouth.