“Look at My Feet While I’m Talking to You”:

Paul Wagenaar

“Look at my feet while I’m talking to you.”
That sounds wrong. Disrespectful, even. It goes against what most of us have been taught about attention, engagement, and respect.
But what if it’s not wrong?
What if it’s not a correction of the person, but of the standard we’re using to judge them?
Most of the conflict we experience with people living with autism isn’t about effort.
It’s about misinterpretation.
We don’t just see behavior, we assign meaning to it.
And too often, we’re wrong.

Coaching Minor Sports: If They Come Back, You Got It Right

Paul Wagenaar

Children’s and youth sports start and finish all the time, whether at the beginning, middle, or end of a season. What matters is not the scoreboard or the record, but the experiences they carry with them during the season, and especially when it ends.

Coaching minor sports is not about winning games. It’s about building confidence, creating belonging, and giving kids a reason to come back. If they come back, you got it right.

Inside the Interview Part 5:

Paul Wagenaar

Most people think hiring decisions are about choosing the best candidate.
They’re not.
Hiring is about removing enough doubt to say yes.
And once you understand that interviews start to make a lot more sense.

Inside the Interview – Part 4

Paul Wagenaar

Most candidates walk into an interview hoping they’ll say the right thing. The best candidates walk in already understanding what matters to the employer.

Preparation is the one part of the job search you fully control, and it’s where most people fall short. When you take the time to understand the organization, align your answers to their needs, and follow through with intention, you’re no longer just another applicant. You’re someone who made it easier to say yes.

A Simple Tool to Expose How Candidates Really Think

Paul Wagenaar

Most hiring mistakes happen before the interview begins.

Resumes can be polished, charm can be rehearsed, and yet the person you hire may not be the one your organization truly needs. A simple pre-interview questionnaire reveals how candidates think, respond under pressure, and treat people they believe won’t influence their outcome.

Hiring isn’t about perfection—it’s about understanding real thinking before it costs you.

Inside the Interview – Part 2: What Happens When a Hire Goes Wrong

Paul Wagenaar

Most managers hate admitting when a hire isn’t working out.

So they delay the conversation.

They hope the problem fixes itself.

Or they quietly tolerate issues that affect the whole team.

But ignoring a bad fit rarely solves anything. Sooner or later every leader faces the same reality: not every hire works out.

In the latest article in my Inside the Interview series, I talk about what good managers actually do when hiring goes wrong, and how to handle the situation professionally, fairly, and responsibly.

Part 1:  The “Why” Behind Interview Questions

Paul Wagenaar

Most job seekers think interviews are about giving the “right” answers.

After conducting hundreds of interviews, I’ve learned something different.
Employers are not just listening to your answers, they are deciding whether you can solve their problem.

Strong candidates understand this and approach every question differently.

Here are some of the most common interview questions and what employers are really trying to learn.

I Thought I Understood My Community. I Was Wrong.

Paul Wagenaar

Six years ago, I left the “for-profit” world for a short-term non-profit contract. I didn’t know what to expect, nor if I’d even be accepted or be useful.

What I found was a world full of steep learning curves, invisible heroes, and challenges I’d never imagined. In six years, I’ve learned more about my community, the struggles with poverty, addiction, housing, and systemic barriers, than decades in retail ever taught me.

I’ve seen incredible people pour heart and soul into work with no guarantees, no recognition, just a relentless drive to make a difference. Their dedication reshaped how I approach leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Next month, I step into a new volunteer role as the Chairperson of our United Way, inspired to encourage others to act: support charities, lift wages, donate time, and focus on long-term impact. Real change isn’t about us, it’s about the people and communities we live in.

“Here Be Dragons” – Taking the Path Less Travelled:

Paul Wagenaar

Terror often isn’t loud. It’s the email sitting unsent. The draft opened and closed five times. The fear of bothering someone. The tight chest. The overthinking.

Cold calling feels like entering dragon territory.

But when 70–80% of jobs are never posted, waiting quietly is often the riskier move. Email outreach creates space, space to think, regulate, and act without real-time pressure. You’re not asking for a job. You’re starting a conversation.

You don’t have to be fearless. You just have to press send.
Go make the dragon smaller.