The middle years

“Tell me about a colleague or boss in midlife who made you better at what you did.”

Tips for asking

A specific piece of feedback, or a habit you watched and copied.

Listen for

Would they recognise themselves in the worker you became?

More from The middle years

“Was there a project, hobby, or quiet practice you began in midlife that's stayed with you?”

“What did midlife teach you about ambition?”

“Tell me about a midlife loss — not necessarily a death — that took you longer than you expected to recover from.”