Ask the headhunter

I.M. asks:

We’re in advanced talks with a candidate for an executive role within our company. We’ve had a series of discussions with him and are now contemplating what further assurances we can get that he’s indeed the right man for the job. A colleague suggested a psychological test, but a team majority rejected this idea. They believe that it’s more useful to check references before making an offer.

To me, asking for references feels a bit weird. It makes it seem as if we don’t dare to rely on our own judgment. Also, several team members have known him for quite some time and even have common contacts. According to some, we’d only get a collection of BFFs giving very positive references. There’s also a discussion about which questions to ask.