Tell us about how your willingness to lead helped your team.
"A supervisor had to leave for medical reasons. They needed someone to lead the project they'd been working on. I'd been their righthand clutch player on this project, so the supervisor asked if I could take over steering the ship. I agreed and started by holding a meeting, explaining why I was taking over, and asking every team member what questions they had regarding the work they each had to do. From there, we clarified where we were taking the project, why it was important, how this work would impact other departments, and how each of their tasks fit into the puzzle. It turned out most of this was news to them, and my supervisor was only sharing this information with me, and not the rest of the team. I needed every one of them to be my clutch players, and they performed well. With this deeper understanding, they all took greater pride in their work and were invested in what they were doing. We delivered ahead of our deadline and the project was a success."
Your interviewer is interested to know if you have a propensity towards leadership or a reluctance to lead. Some personalities feel as if they are born to lead, and others may learn to lead. They are trying to assess where you fall on this scale as well as your interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
Before choosing your example, consider how you'd present your leadership skills or talents. Contemplate what leadership looks like to you, framed by leaders you admire. Consider what "rising to the occasion" looks like. Give yourself credit for your leadership by acknowledging the accomplishments of your team under your direction. Provide examples where you expanded the sphere of your comfort zone, striving to be the best version of yourself that you can be.
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