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Leadership interview questions focus on exploring and evaluating recognized leadership competencies and behaviors. The questions are designed to assess whether the candidate has both leadership skills and leadership potential.
Management and leadership differ in a number of crucial ways.
- Management
is a hands-on component of leadership – responsible for such functions
as planning, organizing and controlling. - Effective leadership is the
ability to inspire followers to listen to and follow a vision.
11 Essential Leadership
Behavioral Interview Questions
Effective leadership interview questions will require candidates to provide
examples of how they have demonstrated common leadership skills and
are asked in the format of competency-based or behavioral interview questions
1. How would your staff and colleagues describe your leadership style? Give me an example to support your answer.
The purpose of this question is to find out if the style is congruent with the organizational culture.
The perceptive leader is able to adapt his or her style to fit the follower’s, employee’s and organizational needs. Find out about the different leadership styles
2. What are the most important values and ethics you demonstrate as a leader? Give me an example of these in practice.
- Integrity- being truthful and trustworthy and having conviction – is an essential leadership competency.
- The effective leader demonstrates values and ethics in personal behavior and integrates these values and ethics into organizational practices and activities.
- A good leader acts with the courage of his/her convictions.
- While leaders are open with their employees and model honesty, transparency and fairness, they do not violate confidences or divulge potentially harmful information.
3. Name some situations in which a leader may fail. Tell me about a time when you failed as a leader.
A number of factors can fall outside a leader’s control such as:
- the available skill pool in the organization
- time constraints
- the economic climate
If employees are lethargic and negatively orientated it can create a situation ripe for failure.
In answering strategic leadership interview questions that explore how you deal with difficult challenges focus on how you were able to analyze the setback and seek honest feedback to learn from failure. How you used the difficult situation to encourage constructive questioning of policies and practices.
Show your ability to be resilient in the face of failure and to constantly work towards improvement.
4. What role does leadership play for a manager? How have you demonstrated this?
The leader’s role is:
- to communicate the strategic vision with clarity
- to translate the vision into concrete direction and plans
- to identify and communicate priorities, short term objectives, timelines, performance measures, clear responsibilities and performance agreements
- to provide quality judgment and advice
5. Tell me about an innovative solution you developed to a non-traditional problem.
Innovation and creativity are key competencies explored in leadership interview questions. Effective leaders promote change and innovation.
Finding solutions to unique problems are facilitated by encouraging a constant information flow in all directions and emphasizing responsiveness to changing demands.
Get help with answering questions about creativity and innovation at behavioral interview answers
6. Tell me about a time when the going got really tough. How did you rally the staff and build morale?
Leaders build a sense of common purpose by promoting the organizational vision both internally and externally.
- they develop and implement effective communication strategies within the organization.
- they remove barriers to collaboration and provide clear direction on priorities.
- they give clear and honest feedback to inspire trust
7. What methods have you used to gain commitment from your team?
Leaders gain commitment by influencing and persuading the team to set objectives and buy into the process.
- they establish a spirit of cooperation and cohesion for goal attainment
- they take the team into the performing phase as quickly as possible
- leaders encourage debate and ideas from all stakeholders
- they inspire a commitment to success and excellence by demonstrating passionate personal commitment
- they promote a productive culture by valuing individuals and their contributions
8. All leaders have to deal with conflict situations. Describe a recent disagreement you personally had to handle.
Leadership
interview questions that explore how you handle conflict are looking at
your ability to understand and respect different views.
- demonstrate
your ability to settle dispute by focusing on solving the problem
taking into consideration the personalities involved. - show how you evaluate the viability of the different dispute
resolution mechanisms available and are able to provide support and
expertise to other people. - demonstrate how you are able to negotiate a compromise
Get help with answering standard interview questions about managing conflict and handling difficult situations
9. How have you persuaded employees to follow your strategic vision for the organization?
Leaders develop ownership by involving employees in the decision-making and planning process.
- they provide resources to facilitate employee success
- they empower employees by devolving authority to get things done efficiently.
- effective leaders develop processes that engage employees in achieving the strategic vision
10. How have you encouraged the learning and development of employees?
Learning
happens at every opportunity. Your answer to leadership interview
questions like this should demonstrate that effective leaders develop
employees by:
- mentoring and coaching
- providing performance feedback on a daily basis
-
leaders act as models for their employees but the most effective
leaders not only teach by example, they take a personal interest in the
learning of others and serve as mentors
- leaders manage learning throughout the organization by
continually focusing attention on the learning agenda and providing the
resources to facilitate it - leaders monitor learning by getting
regular feedback
11. What was the most significant change you brought about in an organization?
Leaders
can recognize new opportunities and anticipate long term opportunities.
- they determine new business directions for the organization
- they are
able to create enthusiasm and acceptance of the new vision or change and
use the appropriate leadership style to inspire and guide employees to
embrace change.
Think about what the concept of leadership means to you when preparing
for leadership interview questions. Look back over your experiences and
select insightful examples of how you have demonstrated the competencies
associated with leadership.
Leadership Behavioral Interview Questions part 2
What is leadership?
Leadership interview questions often ask the candidate to provide a definition of leadership. The debate around defining leadership is endless and it is advisable to provide a simple and general definition that is largely agreed on. You can expand on this as you progress through your interview.
What are the top 5 leadership skills?
Leadership includes the ability to innovate and drive an organization or people towards new ideas and directions.
The ability to:
- persuade and influence
- demonstrate integrity
- communicate and motivate
- innovate and implement strategic vision
- demonstrate drive and tenacity
are all recognized leadership skills.
What do good leaders do?
These are the behaviors and actions that make a good leader.
Focus
on your strengths when answering strategic leadership interview questions. Go to
the comprehensive list of strengths to help you identify your personal
strengths at list of strengths and weaknesses
Leadership interview questions include What are your strengths?
How to prepare for a leadership interview
You will be asked some standard interview questions in your leadership interview. Be ready for these and come across as a prepared and confident candidate.
Leadership interview questions and answers recommended pages
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