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Ever hired a CFO, a CTO, or a general counsel and quietly hoped rapport and a good reference would be enough? This episode makes the case that you can't assess craft you don't have, and shows what to do instead. Phil argues that the fix isn't a better interview technique but a borrowed one: pulling in someone who's actually run the function, one size ahead of where your business is headed, and using them to test judgment rather than knowledge.

• Why references confirm likeability, not competence, and why that gap gets expensive fast
• How to define the outcome you need before you write the job spec, so you're hiring against a result instead of a resume
• Why testing decision-making under real constraints catches what a knowledge-based interview never will

Name the two people you'd ask to sit in on your next technical assessment, then call one of them this week.

The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts.

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