In all aspects of our lives we interview others. We want to obtain information about who they are, what they have done, what they want or need and what motivates them. We want to clarify objectives or objections, to ensure mutual understanding and agreement. These interview skills are essential to managers, supervisors and other professionals.

This book provides a series of roleplay exercises to facilitate training to acquire or refine skills in interviewing others for results. The roleplays are divided into five separate sections, each consisting of five roleplays:

• Selection - Recruitment and selection, final employment, induction
• Appraisal - Assessment, performance evaluation, objective-setting, work-planning
• Counselling - Advice, complaints, conflict-resolution, guidance, grievance
• Discipline - Unacceptable actions or attitudes, performance problems, reprimands, disregard for rules, policies or procedures
• Separation - Dismissal, exit, redundancy, resignation.

At the start of each main section there are some general guidance notes on the logistics and timing of the role plays, followed by a handout giving further detailed information on the specific skills, approach and pitfalls of that type of interview.

The role plays themselves have trainer guidance information covering objectives and points appropriate to the situation, as well as briefs for the interviewer and interviewee, application and assessment forms, personnel records and other relevant paperwork.

Contents
Introduction. Part A Selection: Introduction; Selection interviews; Graduate campus interview; Job interview - first interview; Job interview - second interview; Promotion board interview; Project team selection. Part B Appraisal: Introduction; Appraisal interviews; Alex Sainsbury - An underperforming young graduate; Chris Handy - Keen but has a behavioural problem; Lesley Eager - Overlooked for promotion; Pat Jones - An excellent performer; Bobby Martin - Development need analysis. Part C Counselling: Introduction; Counselling interviews; Redundancy; Suspected alcohol abuse; Performance problem; Sickness absence; Career guidance. Part D Discipline: Introduction; Discipline interviews; Sexual harassment; Unsafe work practice; Racial discrimination; Interpersonal conflict; Poor timekeeping. Part E Separation: Introduction; Separation interviews; Redundancy; Resignation; Voluntary early retirement; Dismissal; Closure/relocation of business.

About the Authors
Geof Cox is a founder member of Castle Consultants International network of trainers and consultants. Geof works with private and public sector organizations and specializes in training design, team development, managing change and communication. He is co-author with Chuck Dufault of 50 Activities on Creativity and Problem Solving, also published by Gower.

Chuck Dufault is a senior consultant and one of the founders of the Castle Consultants worldwide network. He has offices in France and Switzerland and specializes in human resource development strategies, management training and succession planning systems.