Leadership Interview Questions
Can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership capabilities on the job?
While I was working for my last employer, I was given a special project to oversee. It was my responsibility to ensure it was a success, including coordinating the work of other team members. To keep things on target, I scheduled a strategy meeting to divvy up duties and create a timeline. While also working through my tasks, I reached out regularly to monitor the team's progress, offering guidance and support as necessary to ensure everyone stayed motivated and that deadlines would be met. Ultimately, the project was a success, finishing on time and with all deliverables meeting or exceeding expectations.
Which supporting skills do you think are most important when it comes to leadership?
First, I think that communication skills are crucial. I regularly use active listening when communicating with others, ensuring I fully understand their perspective. Additionally, since I've regularly worked with stakeholders who don't have the same level of specialty expertise, I've found that the ability to take complex ideas and simplify them is paramount for success. However, communication alone isn't enough. Accountability is also vital, as it allows me to lead by example. Similarly, critical thinking is a core component for strategic planning, and served me well when I lead a project with my past employer, which was completed on time and ultimately exceeded expectations.
When there is a disagreement on your team, how do you handle it?
When there's a disagreement, my first step is to understand the perspective of each person involved. I use active listening skills, giving each party my full attention. I'll summarize my understanding of the situation, asking probing questions to gain additional clarity as required. At that point, my goal is to facilitate conversations that lead to resolutions. Using a calm and respectful approach, I'll work with the involved parties to find a reasonable compromise, brainstorming, and discussing ideas until a suitable option is found. The process ensures everyone can learn more about the other's perspective and that the resolution is a collaborative venture.
- Tell me about the hardest decision you've ever made as a leader. How did you decide which course of action was best?
- What steps do you take to make sure that projects are completed on time, on budget, and to the proper standard?
- How would you describe your leadership style? How would your colleagues describe it?
- Can you tell me about a time where you faced a leadership challenge? What did you do to overcome it?
- If a team member is under performing, what steps do you take to improve their performance?
- Have you ever taken on a leadership role voluntarily? If so, can you tell me about it?
- Tell me about your approach to delegation.
- Can you describe a time when you lead by example?
- Have you ever served in a coach or mentor role? How were you able to help the other person achieve success?
- How do you monitor a team's performance?
- If a team is struggling to stay motivated, what steps would you take to boost engagement?
- When a member of your team presents you with an idea, how do you respond?
- Which of your past managers was your favorite leader, and why?
- Are there any leaders that inspire you?
- How do you respond to constructive criticism?
- What approach do you use when you need to deliver constructive criticism?
- What steps do you take to measure your personal performance at work?
- During your first days in the job, are there any changes that you try to implement immediately?
- When starting with a new team, how do you evaluate the current state of their capabilities?
- What do you think is most important in creating a positive culture?
- How do you determine who gets access to professional development or training?
- If your project became unexpectedly shorthanded, what would you do to ensure it stayed on target?