Tell me about a situation where you had to be a leader.
"I'd just turned in my work early when a coworker started asking me for help with the job they were working on. After the third question, it was clear they lacked the confidence necessary to tackle the task at hand. They were trying to go above and beyond by taking on a project that was outside of their comfort zone. So after the third request for help, I went over to their desk, looked at what they were working on, and asked them more questions to get a picture of what they needed coaching on. From there, I mentored them on how to complete this job, from beginning to end, guiding them along the way. Once they tackled the project, the advice I gave them helped them tenfold. This took them in some surprising directions, and the next thing I knew, they were mentoring me on something new. It comes full circle. That's teamwork, right?"
The scope of your vision--and whether you possess a big picture versus a narrower, short-term viewpoint--is what the interviewer is trying to assess. There are those who strive to contribute to the vision and the greater success of a team, who are driven to develop themselves, driven by their own ambitions to accomplish their personal and professional goals. There's nothing wrong with ambitiously trying to climb the latter. But prioritizing the ultimate success of the team displays big-picture thinking. By contributing to the greater success of the company and the team, they are contributing to their individual success and development. Therefore, investing in the development of your coworkers and driving positive change towards the greater success of the team is an investment in one's own development.
Provide examples where you balanced your personal goals with the goals of the team through identifying an employee's growth potential. Reveal your motivation to further the team, rather than checking off a list of accomplishments as you try to climb through the ranks. The impression you want to give is that you are humble, you're good at your job, and you are consistently putting your all in.
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