When hiring, there will always be some nonnegotiable requirements you’re seeking from candidates. But what about the less specific abilities your organization hopes to find in candidates?

When conducting interviews, look three superpowers to see if you are dealing with an extraordinary leader, writes Michel Koopman for Fast Company.

Natural curiosity

Like a superpower in a movie, people either have natural curiosity from an early age (possibly born with it) or they don’t. It is not something that can be taught. These people are driven by a “hunger” to always learn new facts, insights, perspectives, methods, options, etc. They are better researched than anyone.

These people often lead with passion, solid judgment and mindfulness. They are coachable, flexible and can teach others without much arrogance. There are a number of ways to uncover natural curiosity and learning agility within someone. First, if they ask at least as many questions as you do, take it as a good sign. Not only are the number of questions important, but the nature of those inquiries.

  • Do they demonstrate an interest in meaningful, insightful areas?
  • Are they not just based on fact, but rather conceptual in nature, such as, “What does success look like?” or “How do things work?”

Strategic thinking

No one can really predict the future, but some people seem to make a lot fewer mistakes than others. Strategic thinkers consistently consider the many variables of a scenario and intuitively estimate probabilities in such a way that it becomes a lot easier to make decisions that will lead to greater success than others.

One of the most effective ways to evaluate the presence of this particular superpower and put it to the test is by giving a candidate an actual problem to solve. You can do this during the interview and/or give them a take-home exercise for delivery or presentation later.

Mind melding

The ability to see the world through the eyes of another person seems supernatural, but it is a part of the human condition. Some of us, however, do this better than others and know to put this skill to work for to benefit the business, themselves and the other person.

Consider how you feel during the conversation. Then, ask the others (hopefully a diverse group) that interviewed the person how they felt. How you (and others) felt are raw reflections on the candidate’s ability to relate. If it felt good, this is a positive indicator.