There
are lots of lists of practice interview questions for job seekers. A lot of
them focus on strengths, weaknesses, handling difficult situations and
working with co-workers. These questions are important, but when you’re
competing for a management position, a hiring manager will be interested in
what you know about leadership.
The
days of the “boss” who tells everyone what to do, wields a lot of power,
barks orders and everyone follows are over. These managers may get things
done, but they have to continuously watch, prod and discipline unruly
employees who perform more out of fear than dedication. Companies are looking
for managers who know how to lead and inspire employees to perform. Here are
some practice interview questions on leadership for your next management
interview.
1. What is your
definition of leadership? This is a “what is it” question. It’s not “great”
or “necessary.” They want you to describe what leadership means to you. Try
to think of a great leader you admire, either from history or current events
or a former manager, and describe what that person did or said that made her
a leader. “Leadership is….” and then fill in the blanks. This isn’t an easy
question, and it’s best to formulate an answer well before it’s asked.
2. Name a great
leader and why he inspired you. This should be easier, since you’ve already
thought of one or two from question #1. Describe the traits this person had,
such as honesty, integrity, the ability to communicate, and openness. Use
qualities that conform to the company’s culture or values. You want the
hiring manager to see how you would fit well with the leadership team.
3. What would you
do with an employee who consistently misses performance goals? This is not
your typical “handling difficult employee” question. Recruiting and hiring
employees is a time-consuming, costly task. Firing everyone who doesn’t
measure up may be for some situations, but leaders are coaches and trainers
and set goals to help people make the most of their abilities.
4. What is the most
important trait of a leader? What has inspired you in the past? I had a very
tough manager whose greatest trait was she never let you wiggle out of a
tough situation. Instead of stepping in when you failed, she would talk it
over, give you some suggestions and a pep talk and send you out to make
another try. I call that belief in the ability of her staff. It was tough,
but I knew she believed in me, and helped me believe in myself.
5. What type of
leader do you like to work for? This is a great question to show how prior
leaders have helped you improve weaknesses and turn them into strengths. They
are also sizing up whether you’ll mesh with your manager and the leadership
team.
There
are a lot of skills and experience questions to practice. Leadership is
something that is tough to teach. Practicing these questions will help you understand
how your leadership style fits with a job and company and enable you to
clearly get that message across.
|
Interview Questions For Leaders
