When asking these questions, you will sometimes get honest answers and sometimes get the pre-canned responses. How people choose to answer questions tells you a lot about the kind of person you're dealing with. I value the answers not just for their content, but also how the person chooses to interact with me.

If a CEO only flatters me with sugary answers then he's likely lying to my face, which is a trait I dislike in leaders. Unfortunately, this behavior will trickle down to managers and peers (with occasional short lived exceptions). If he's honest about the issues they face then I can likely expect the same from others.

Culture in a company extends far beyond hiring, firing, and promotion. Those are unique events that combined happen a couple days a year in a smaller company. Day to day culture is far more significant, and focuses on how we are expected treat each other. Honesty, acknowledgement of problems, and transparency are the things to look for.