Leadership is a common aspect in all spheres of life. One can easily see it from how we handle things or respond to situations. Interviewers have over the years realized that it is one of the most critical qualities in employees.
This article covers 20 of the most common interview questions regarding leadership. We have drafted answers to help you come up with quality responses. These questions cut across different professions since administration does not discriminate.
Therefore, whether you are interviewing for an entry-level or management post, you should have the answers to the following questions at your fingertips:
1. What Are the Most Important Values That a Leader Should Demonstrate?
The interviewer wants to know if you understand what leadership entails and whether you have the right values for a leadership role.
Tip #1: Mention some of the qualities that have helped you as a leader.
Tip #2: Be precise.
Sample Answers
Some of the most critical values that have seen me through my different leadership roles are integrity, honesty, and conviction. Honesty breeds trust and conviction in my words and actions have seen me buy other employees into the right direction.
2. How Do You Manage To Gain Commitment From Your Team?
You should inspire your team to be committed to the goals and values of your organization.
Tip #1: Show the interviewer that you are capable of influencing your team.
Tip #2: Show that you are competent enough.
Sample Answer
I make my team committed by influencing and persuading them to develop specific objectives and buy into the process. We can only attain the set goals after establishing cooperation and cohesion.
3. In Your Own Opinion, How Can a leader Fail?
The interviewer wants to know how you define failure.
Tip #1: Do not confuse failure with a mistake.
Tip #2: Do not be too harsh, and make sure that you give a realistic example.
Sample Answer
I believe that a failed leader cannot rally his/ her team towards achieving a common goal. I once worked with a team with differing opinions but managed to bring them together towards a common goal through persuasion, saving me from imminent failure.
4. What Do You Consider The Difference Between a Team Leader and a Team Manager?
The interviewer wants to know whether you understand the fundamental difference between a leader and a manager.
Tip #1: Do not confuse these two.
Tip #2: A leader does much more than a manager
Sample Answer
A manager handles tasks and responsibilities, ensuring that people get to do their work, whereas a leader inspires and motivates all the team members to work and achieve their set goals.
5. What Do You Consider Your Greatest Strength?
This question wants to establish your greatest strength as a leader and not as a person.
Tip #1: Mention a strength that will make you come out as a good leader.
Tip #2: You should try to include your team.
Sample Answer
My greatest strength lies in working with a team. I can lead and inspire a team to deliver its best performance and achieve the set goals. This has taken me years of relationship building, influence, and passion for the jobs I have done.
6. What Do You Think Is Your Greatest Weakness?
The interviewer wants to know about your shortcomings.
Tip #1: Be careful not to throw yourself under the bus.
Tip #2: Tactfully answer this Question.
Sample Answer
I believe that I can perfectly work through different projects. While this is a good thing, it has managed to become one of my most significant shortcomings. I end up remaining with lots of work after delegation, forcing me to take more time. However, I have taken a time management course to help me overcome this.
7. How Do You Make Others Accept Your Ideas?
You must be persuasive as a leader.
Tip #1: Avoid coming off as authoritative or ever-right.
Tip #2: Show that you are highly persuasive.
Sample Answer
I start by talking about the benefits of the idea and how it can be applied. I also incorporate other divergent thoughts. I believe obtaining buy-ins from others is the best way of attaining different goals. I do not believe in forcing others to follow the procedure.
8. Do You Believe Praising a Team Member in Public Works? How Would You Do It?
This question touches on employee motivation.
Tip #1: You should praise members who have done well.
Tip 32: Praises improve employee morale.
Sample Answer
Leaders should appreciate team members and other employees for their work. I will wait till employees are gathered somewhere in a group before addressing them and congratulating the given member. This serves to recognize their success before the employees and motivate others to work hard too.
9. Do You Work Well in Groups or Independently?
This question is usually asked when an interviewer would like to know whether you are a team worker or not. Your answer will reveal if you are a perfect fit for the organization.
Tip #1: Your answer should be per the work setting and method of operation.
Tip #2: The best approach is a blend of both means.
Sample Answer
I work more effectively in groups as it brings together different qualities among individuals. It has helped me develop interpersonal skills that have seen me through my career. However, I have worked independently in several settings and wouldn’t mind.
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10. Do You Think One Needs to Meet with His/ Her Team Regularly
The interviewer is trying to establish how you manage your team as a leader.
Tip #1: Team members should meet regularly.
Tip #2: Ensure that you provide a meeting frequency
Sample Answer
I believe that team members should meet at least once a week at a convenient time for all the members. This enhances communication among them, which is highly critical. They also get to talk about their challenges and best practices. Regular meeting is, therefore, highly advantageous.
11. What Do You Think Is the Best Way to Motivate a Team?
The interviewer wants to know if you have what it takes to rally a team behind achieving a common purpose.
Tip #1: Show that you are a good team leader.
Tip #2: Provide ways that have proven to be successful.
Sample Answer
I believe that every team has its wants. Therefore, finding out what motivates them individually helps determine how a change benefits them. I also ensure that I have adequate positive and constructive feedback to help them perform well.
12. What Type of Leader Would Your Team Members Say You Are?
The interviewer wants to know how you would view yourself if you got a chance to experience your leadership style.
Tip #1: This is a chance to sell yourself.
Tip#2: Your team members should trust that you will come up with solutions.
Sample Answer
My team members would describe me as a problem-solver. I always strive to find solutions for all problems that come during my leadership. They will also say that I always have their back no matter what, a trait that has helped me win people’s trust over time.
13. What Is the Best Way of Setting an Example As a Leader?
One of your roles as a leader is inspiring the other team members. You should therefore strive to set a good example.
Tip #1: Talk about a way that has always been successful.
Tip #2: You can mention a way that helped you become a good example.
Sample Answer
The best way of becoming an excellent example to team members as a leader is by performing one’s best in everything and living up to promises. Also, one should set similar expectations for both him/ herself and the group in question.
14. What Do You Think Is the Most Difficult Part of Being a Leader?
The interviewer would like to know more about how you view leadership.
Tip #1: Be honest, but do not throw yourself under the bus.
Tip #2: you can draw from your experiences
Sample Answer
Being in a group may have its benefits, but it places more pressure on the leader in the real sense, charged with seeing the organization’s end goals and vision while leading others towards the same. He/ she must also strive to bring the others back on track.
15. What Is the Best Way of Leading Through Change?
This question seeks to establish if you embrace change as a leader.
Tip #1: Show that you can effect change in the organization.
Tip #2: Be Precise.
Sample Answer
I believe that a leader must always embrace change first before anyone else. He/ she should communicate the change while convincing other members that it is the right one to adopt. This also includes making preparations for questions that may come up and organizing for the right resources to convince members.
16. How Do You Measure Success?
We all have different ways of measuring success. However, the threshold is heightened for leaders.
Tip #1: Have a higher way of measuring success now that you are a leader.
Tip #2: It should be a reasonable standard of measurement
Sample Answer
I set goals at the beginning of every project. These range from personal to team goals. I only consider myself successful after achieving both the individual and team goals. I believe that I am entirely successful if my team also succeeds. These two are therefore inseparable.
17. How Do You Stay Motivated to Be a Leader?
Leadership is hard. Waking up every day to show people the way can be a challenging experience. Therefore, you must have a reason behind it.
Tip #1: You can turn this question around and sell yourself instead.
Tip #2: Avoid monetary motivations
Sample Answer
What keeps me waking up every day to assume my leadership roles is the growth I witness from my team. I feel happy and rejuvenated whenever my team members achieve both their personal and group goals. This has seen me going through these years.
18. In Your Own Opinion, What Do You Think Is a Leader’s Best Asset?
An asset is anything that you can use to achieve success in a given area. Therefore, as a leader, certain things will help you achieve what you want, either personally or as a team.
Tip #1: you should not mention material assets.
Tip #2: Ensure that whatever you mention has a significant impact
Sample Answer
I believe that a leader’s asset goes beyond the usual monetary and material possessions. A leader’s most significant possession is his/ her ability to motivate and inspire a given team to work together and achieve different organizational goals.
19. What Do You Do When You Find Yourself in Situations of Uncertainty?
You will find yourself in situations where you are unsure of how to achieve your team’s goals. How do you go about this?
Tip #1: You need to be open to outside ideas.
Tip #2: Do not come off as a know-it-all
Sample Answer
I believe that one should be open to feedback and be ready to seek help. I would ask my team members and higher leaders for input and advice on what they deem best. I will also use all the available resources to come up with a good plan.
20. What Do You Think Is the Best Way to Deliver Bad News To a Team?
You should be prepared to handle bad news too as a leader.
Tip #1: Show that you have people skills.
Tip #2: Show that you are a good communicator.
Sample Answer
The best way of delivering bad news is by gathering people together first before returning the news. It would help if you did this with adequate information and mention the steps that need to be taken in the future to prevent such an occurrence. The team members should also be allowed to speak their minds, ask questions and provide their views on matters.
Conclusion
We have given you a detailed insight into some of the most asked interview questions about leadership. These should help you ace any leadership-related issue that comes up in your interview.
