I have been working over the past year and a half with several folks, mostly new library directors, as a coach. One of my clients just hired a key person for her team, and was curious enough about a hiring technique I have used in the past to give it a try herself. Mostly, this is a version of the "assessment center" technique known as the "leaderless discussion." (You can find out more about the assessment center here .) The core idea is very simple. First, know what you're looking for - at least in the sense of demonstrable skills. Second, create a scenario or exercise in which that skill must be demonstrated. In the case of many leadership positions, a leaderless panel discussion, large enough to promote real interaction (at least five people) and around some relevant job topics, is a rich source for observational data. Third, have multiple observers, who have been coached about how to observe people's communication behaviors (I give them a chart ...