PROUDLY PRESENTS

Michael Morgillo
Resident of The United States and 3-DNET® VIP member
Email contact : michael.morgillo@exec.org

      

VIDEO INTRODUCTION®

  

 

INTERVIEW WITH 3-DNET®

Listen to sample sound "bites" from the interview:  

Question 1 : Tell me about yourself

I have worked most of my life. My family owned a grocery store and when I was about 3 years old I started doing minor chores. When I was old enough to reach the butcher block I started to cut meat. This trade provided the means for me to pay for my college education. During college I joined ROTC and was commissioned on graduation. I never intended to make it a career but I had some of the best jobs of my career while on active duty; commanding a company with the 25th infantry and teaching computer science at the United States Military Academy at West Point. With the birth of my daughter, my wife and I agreed to provide her a stable environment so I left active duty but stayed in the reserves where I retired with a total of twenty one years of serve. After leaving active duty, I worked for defense contractors. Each new job was offered to me with out me actively searching. Finally I decided to go back to what I really loved. That was teaching but in the form of management consulting. This was great until the economy started to tank and I had the opportunity to join a startup company as a principle. We worked with out salary and had to pay many of our own expenses but it was very interesting and I learned a huge amount. Unfortunately are limited funding sources ended and with even my efforts with venture capitalists and other potential investors, the lenders would not support our efforts.

Question:  "Tell me about yourself....?"  

Question 2 : What can you offer to your next employer ?

I have learned so much in the many diverse life experiences both professional and personal. For example, I have not only managed software developments but worked on the offerors side writing specifications, statements of work and evaluating proposals. I also had the great opportunity to assist in creation of several formal development methodologies. My life long work ethic and the extensive leadership experience gives me the understanding of individuals and what motivates them far above most of the managers that I have worked with. This combination of process, technology and leadership is hard to find in a single person.

Question:  "What can you offer....?"  

Question 3 : What are your strengths ?

As I mentioned above, I have a strong work ethic and outstanding leadership skills. What sets a good leader apart from a manager is setting the example and being out front and not sitting back in an office issuing directives. I also have a strong desire to make the people that works for me perform to the best of their abilities. This means spending time listening and coaching.

Question:  "What are your strengths?"  

Question 4 : What are your accomplishments ?

I can honestly say I have many things that I am extremely proud of. One of the first was my command tour with the 25th infantry. I took over a company that with low moral and a poor performance record. By the end of my command tour the unit had received 4 Battalion awards and was selected as best in the division for its performance on our annual division inspection.
A second was when I took over a failing program. This program was in the hundreds of millions of dollars and of critical importance to the US Air Force. I put it back on track and when I left the program, to take over another that was in trouble, it was doing well and all deliveries were on schedule. I have many more of these stories but will leave it at that.
I am especially proud of my work with charity organizations in my town. Thought my individual ideas and hard work I have helped raise over $10,000 for charity and still going.

Question:  "What are your accomplishments?"  

Question 5 : What are your limitations ?

I have always believed in “do what you say” or what your assigned and do it to the best of your ability. I find that I have no patience for those how consistently slip deadlines, are late for meetings or just do not demonstrate the professional behavior commensurate with there job responsibilities. it.

Question:  "What are your limitations ?"  

Question 6 : How much are you worth ?

Worth can only be measured when you have something to measure it against. When you hire a new person, that person has to prove their worth in the environment. We can use past experience to baseline worth but no more. Look at all the professional athletes that are paid huge salaries that do not live up to expectations.

Question:  "How much are you worth ?"  

Question 7 : What are your ambitions for the future ?

I want to be in a position where I can make a difference. In every job I have ever undertaken, my ambitions was to make the environment better for the company and the people that worked for me.

Question:  "What are your ambitions for the future ?"  

Question 8 : How long would it take you start contributing to the firm? 

Because of my consulting experience, I usually contribute very soon after starting. First however I listen. Someone once told me “don’t burn any bridges until you learn why they were build” I have found this to be sound advise.

Question:  "How long would it take ... ?"  

Question 9: What is your management style?

My first real position of responsibility was in the military. They teach you that your primary responsibility is to accomplish your mission. Your second is to take care of your people. I found out early that if you don’t take care of your people, the mission becomes much harder it accomplish. Even in the military, I attempted to make sure even the lowest private understood why we were doing something and the impact accomplishing would have. I have followed this concept since and it has worked. I also encourage discussion because I have learned I do not have all the answers.

Question:  "What is your management style .... ?"  

Question 10: Why do you think you have a good potential to be a manager?

I have been a manager most of my career but I prefer to refer to it as a leader. My successes speaks for themselves.

Question:  "Why do you think you..... ?"  

Question 11: What would you look for in hiring people?

The first thing I look for is a person’s ability to interact with me. Usually that means how well they convince me that they are the right person for the job equally in the technical, ethical, and personal characteristics required. Ethics to me is the most important. Most jobs change based on the person. The right person will grow the position.

Question:  "What would you look for hiring .... ?"  

Question 12: As a manager, have you ever had to fire someone?

Yes just once but it was the first person I hired since leaving the military. The individual presented himself very well to include samples of papers her authored and his references were fine. After watching him in client meetings and reviewing his written work, I had a counseling session with him and he explained that he was having personal problems. I continued to talk to him informally but after a couple more months and his behavior did not change I put him on notice. Finally, I had no choice and let him go. When we were cleaning out the stuff he left behind we discovered that he had put his name on other individuals work and took credit for other peoples work that he only planed a minor role.

Question:  "As a manager, have you ever..... ?"  

Question 13: What do you see as the most difficult task of being a manager?

I always believed that you manage things and you lead people. Leadership is not one size fits all. Balancing positive attitudes, setting realistic individual goals and motivating people is not only difficult but requires different behavior with different people. The hardest people to deal with are those who place their individual agendas above those of the team or those than feel they can take your job if you fail. This is why I believe in leadership so strongly.

Question:  "What do you see as...... ?"  

Question 14: Describe what you feel is the best work environment?

When everyone is working to a common goal and the team is very positive about the outcome and the methods of getting there. Also when the team can socialize outside of work and feel comfortable with each other. Upper management does not micro manage and is supportive of the team with both praise and other rewards for success.

Question:  "Describe what you feel..... ?"  

Question 15: Looking back how do you describe your past employer?

I was a principle in the company and all the parties were concerned about being successful. I was given total freedom and the ability to get the job done. .

Question:  "Looking back how do you ..... ?"  

Question 16: What have you done to increase productivity, performance, efficiency, etc..?

I have been in several situations when I had to take over failing projects. One was a general ledger system that contained over $11b in assets and because of the requirements; a standard ledger package could not be used. When I took it over there were no solid requirements and not workable plan. I started JAD sessions to finalize requirements and focused the development team on things that were established such as standard corporate reports. This put all team members working toward a common goal. Next I created a development plan and briefed it to all including the VP. Everyone do the what, when, and how of the project and the deadlines that had to be met. Daily standup 10 minute status secessions reinforced the priorities and demonstrated accomplishments. Even with almost 6 months gone when I first started, the ledger went into production only 2 months past the original date.

Question:  "What have you done to .... ?"  

Question 17: Whether you are a "computer wizard", how do you respond to the financial side of your responsibilities?

I have managed budgets in the millions of dollars. One year I was $1000 under due to my pain staking reviews and corrections almost on a weekly basis. My Technical director was so impressed he awarded me a case of my favorite wine.

Question:  "Whether you are a "computer wizard".... ?"  

Question 18: How many people have you supervised in your recent job?

I had 8 engineers. However, I have managed staffs of over 50 professionals. .

Question:  "How many people have you .... ?"  

Question 19: What do you like more, working with figures or words?

I have authored many papers and feel comfortable with words. I also recognize the need to balance numbers and keep the budget in clear view at all times.

Question:  "What do you like more ..... ?"  

Question 20: How do you think that your subordinates receive you?

I have done a 360 degree profiler to actually find out how my subordinates and supervisors view me. The findings were different than what I would have expected. I found that my subordinates had a great deal or respect for me and thought I made good decisions. They said I did not listen to them as often as I should. This I took to heart and became a very good listener.

Question:  "How do you think .... ?"  

Question 21: What do you think of your previous boss?

My previous boss was an old friend who I have the greatest respect for. He and I started ONXX technology so and we worked very well together. He and I could talk and agree on important courses of action. I also had complete trust in him to deal with our partner company on all legal and contract maters. I wish I could say this for all my bosses.

Question:  "What do you think .... ?"  

Question 22: Describe a situation in which your work was criticized?

I was in charge of a remote business unit in Ohio. The unit was failing when I took it over and several individuals where convinced I would make no difference and the site would be closed. When I turned it around and made it one of our larger sites, these same people consistently criticized what I was doing and took every opportunity to try to make me personally look bad. When my successes continued they shifted their attacks to others on my team which caused me to spend unproductive time convincing management these individuals were wrong. When I finally was reassigned, the attacks on the site did not stop causing several of my better people to leave the company

Question:  "Describe a situation .... ?"  

Question 23: If I spoke with your boss what he would say about your greatest strength and weaknesses?

As mentioned above. I performed a 360 degree profiler on a previous job. My boss said that I was very demanding on my people and drove myself too hard. It was interesting since my subordinates did not think I was demanding.

Question:  "If I spoke with your boss.... ?"  

Question 24: How can you handle life under pressure and with tough deadlines?

I started my professional career in the military where wrong decisions can mean the difference between life and death. Luckily in professional live decisions do not have that same level of significance. By focusing on what is and is not important allows me to keep priorities straight. When facing difficult deadlines, I make sure to communicate the issues to all stake holders. This way everyone knows the score and the consequences of failure. In all the teams I have lead, we have never seriously missed a deadline that was in our control to achieve.

Question:  "How can you handle .... ?"  

Question 25: What do you think you do better: staff work or line work?

Staff work.

Question:  "What do you think.... ?"  

Question 26: In your current position, what problem have you identified that was previously overlooked?

When we started the detailed design of our user interface, the development team wanted to build a very detailed interface the first time. The problem was that we had not defined the customer base clearly and the requirements of the different communities were very different. I convinced them to be more generic and build an easily adaptable interface where different requirements can easily be incorporated.

Question:  "In your current position .... ?"  

Question 27: If you had a choice of job and a company what would you choose?

I would choose the job. I enjoy the satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment that goes with doing a job well.

Question:  "If you had a choice of job.... ?"  

Question 28:Do you have any objection to take a psychological test?

No

Question:  "Do you have any objection.... ?"  

Question 29: Do you consider yourself as a creative person?

Yes. I have been asked on several occasions to totally change the way processes were performed. In on case I created a new acquisition strategy for an Air Force Procurement. The bottom line was a savings of $20m in acquisition costs by the Air Force and the potential bidders. I received a commendation for this effort from the Air Force and a General Managers award from my company.

Question:  "Do you consider yourself.... ?"  

Question 30: How do you describe your personality?

From a continuum of adjectives, I have often been described by these:
Analytical, Conceptual, Assertive, Decisive, Energetic, Independent, Open-minded, Entrepreneurial and Self motivated.

Question:  "How do you describe.... ?"  

Question 31: What is your outside reading you do?

I read all three of our local papers and on Sunday I read sections of the Boston globe. I also enjoy reading Tom Clancy.

Question:  "What is your outside.... ?"  

Question 32: What are some of your outside activities?

I am very active in the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, the American Legion and am on the board of trustees of the Old York Historical Society.

Question:  "What are some of.... ?"  

Question 33: Are you continuing your education?

I am very interested in History and research many of the civil war battles. I also review product updates on the web to stay as current as I can

Question:  "Are you continuing your.... ?"  

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