Talk about a manager or supervisor you have had who you admire. What did you learn from them, and how did you apply those lessons to your own work performance or management style?

"I had a very close working relationship with my previous supervisor. She oversaw my work as a volunteer intern when I spent evenings assisting with administrative tasks for the Community Outreach team. When I was hired upon graduation, we worked closely together recruiting large groups of volunteers and spreading the word around town about our organization. From observing her, I learned how to warmly receive others and make them feel comfortable and receptive to my message. She always encouraged me and provided honest feedback, whether positive or negative. I learned how to construct feedback in a way that empowers people rather than shaming them."

"My former manager expected high-quality work and effective time management skills to meet the plethora of deadlines we faced, acknowledging donors in a timely fashion. However, she was never rude or antagonistic. Instead, she offered her support in high-volume times, asking what we needed to ensure our success as a team. If we ever struggled, she modeled better time management practices and provided helpful resources to assist us. This demonstrated the importance of communication and how to extract the best work from your team."

Highlighting one abstract and one practical takeaway from this manager will show your attentiveness to leadership qualities and useful skills. This will also show how observant you are and reveal your ability to learn, grow, and lead.