As a manager, what is your greatest weakness?

"As a manager, I feel that my greatest weakness is in separating employees as quickly as possible when they begin to show signs that they are not going to work out. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and have been known to continue trying to nurture people when they really are overdue for termination. I have taken a couple of management training classes focusing on this area, and I'm also working with an industry mentor. I feel I'm improving in being able to objectively approach separating employees who aren't a good fit, in a way that is respectful to the employee and for the overall good health of the organization."

"One thing I've consistently worked to improve since my first management position is increasing the level of trust I have in my employees. For me, it was a difficult transition to move from a front-line employee to one who manages the work of others. I wanted to jump in and help my employees accomplish their goals instead of offering support and allowing them to set and reach their own goals. I continue to improve in this area, and I believe I'm at the right point in my career development to live out the P&G value of trust - having confidence in each other's capabilities and intentions and believing that people work best when there is a foundation of trust. That sense of trust is more important than making sure people do things my way."

Everyone has his/her weaknesses, and that is OK. Talk to the hiring manager about what you feel you could work on the most, and what you are doing about it. Avoid discussing a weakness that could be detrimental to you securing the position at Procter and Gamble. To impress your interviewer, be as positive as possible about your weakness as a manager.

"As a new manager, an initial weakness may be a reluctance for me to delegate tasks. I'm used to managing many projects and assignments, and I've become very efficient over the years as an individual contributor. If given the opportunity to lead, I would ensure I took the time to get to know each team member and their strengths and weaknesses so that I could make sound decisions on what tasks to give which team members. It will be important for me to delegate to maximize my efficiency and to give the team opportunities to grow and take on additional responsibilities effectively."

Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.

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