30 Leadership Interview Questions & Answers

Wonderful response! This is perfect.

Great response! This answer can affirm your confidence as a leader.

"I certainly consider myself a leader; I lead by example and positively influence those around me. I have led teams many times throughout my career. A notable accomplishment was leading a team to success by improving safety and delivery from 60% to 95%."

Integrity, problem-solving, and self-motivation are all valuable leadership qualities. You could strengthen this response by providing a specific example. For example, if you have faced a tough decision at work when you showed integrity, you could briefly share that situation and how you exhibited integrity.

You could complete your response without the final sentence, as it sounds a bit unsure. Other than that, great response!

This is a fantastic response! I provided a follow-up question you may be asked.

"Possible follow-up question: "What about your delivery of morning meetings do you believe impacted the performance to jump from 58% to 95%?""

It's wonderful that you were patient and took the time to be thorough in passing the baton. Your answer highlights the care that you take in your work.

It's terrific that you were able to push past your colleague's grumbling and get the job done! You mention a 3-day turnaround. To help the interviewer measure the success, I recommend including details on the expected turnaround or the deadline you faced. For instance, 'We were asked to have the document ready in five business days, and by using x, y, z leadership skills, I led my team to have the document ready to submit in just three days.'

Good answer! It is definitely disappointing to interview for a job and not get it. Can you explain more about how you prepared for the interview and how you reacted after you discovered you hadn't gotten the job? It's great that you point out that you learn from your failures and don't give up, since these are the qualities of a leader.

Nice answer!

It seems you are well prepared for the many challenges and responsibilities that come with leadership. This is a good approach to performance reviews.

This is a good example of a challenge, and how you have worked to overcome the situation. Nice job!

Try answering this with a specific example. The interviewer's follow up question is very direct so your response should match.

"I recently trained a new team member who wasn't very confident but was a quick learner. I understand that stepping into a new role is challenging for anyone, so I helped that person build their confidence by praising their work and checking in often. This trainee later thanked me for the encouragement, positive works, and affirmation."

Good start! Do you have an example of this type of situation in action?

Great answer. I would add why you see this as a challenge.

"I believe moving the team in a new direction could be a big leadership challenge. At times, it is difficult to enter into a management role when there are established team members and a well-known standard of protocols. I will employ skills I have acquired over the years and education I have obtained by seminars and books to assume the role with confidence and tact. I will offer new ways of achieving service goals while respecting the knowledge everyone brings to the job."

This answer is a good start! With 'Tell me about a time...' questions, I encourage you to craft more robust responses using the STAR framework. Here is a guide if you'd like further review: Master Behavioral-Based Interviews Using The Star Method

You provide a good example here of a time when your ability to communicate helped you to lead. You might consider showing your knowledge about various communication styles by mentioning the types (passive, aggressive, submissive, manipulative, and assertive) and then indicating which style you most identify with. Since you mention listening in your answer, it sounds like you might be an assertive communicator who tends to respect the thoughts and ideas of others while still expressing your own opinions in a calm manner.

While you make a great point, be sure to speak for yourself rather than in generalities.

"I believe that Leadership pertains to group influence, which is a trait that does not require formal leadership. I consider myself a positive influencer in any work group, thus making me a consistent leader. I lead by example with the intention of adding to a positive and productive work culture."

Just as the store events are mentioned in question #15; I suggest expanding on the steps you took to create this change.

It seems you have a genuine desire to help others grow and flourish in their career. Any interviewer should be thrilled to see this quality :)

Try expanding on your response, as this one isn't very helpful to the interviewer and sounds a bit stand-offish.

"The best way to motivate me as a leader is to cultivate an environment of teamwork, collaboration, and togetherness. As a leader, I like to work closely with my team to help them achieve their goals. This type of environment is very motivating for me."

I think your answer is on point but hard to understand because of the overuse of the word 'lead'! :) Perhaps your answer could be rephrased like below:

"In my opinion, a true leader teaches, guides, and inspires others so they become more confident in themselves and their work. A manager, on the other hand, just oversees the work being done by their direct reports and doesn't spend much time at all on teaching or inspiring those below them. My goal is to lead others rather than just manage them. I believe that leaders can truly change and improve the lives of their team members."

Very unique answer - it's great!

This is a good idea! But don't forget to talk about how you will first get to know each of your colleagues so you're aware of their personal goals. Once you know what their personal goals are, you'll be better able to support and encourage them in pursuing and developing them. Consider allowing your team members some time for personal development. You could also help them set learning goals and offer innovative learning experiences, which could include your e-learning idea.

A must read for any leader! If you can, add in a tidbit about what you learned.

"I recently read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell and learned more about how small actions and goals can amount to a significant change."

It sounds like you are highly organized when it comes to measuring team performance, which the interviewer will be happy to hear.

Your leadership qualities are on point!

This is the answer of a great leader! Nice job.

Fantastic insight! These are all very important qualities to look for before making a promotion.

Try breaking down when you believe each approach to be the most appropriate.

"It is important to have group discussions as well as one-on-one meetings. I reserve one-on-ones for conversations surrounding professional development and performance. Group conversations are best for motivating, brainstorming, and celebrating achievements."

This is a very good response. I would add language around your work style and how to avoid use of micromanagement.

"Micromanagement is lack of trust in an employee to get a job done. A micromanager hovers over the employee, which can result in lack of motivation, resentment, and feelings of humiliation. I avoid micromanagement by providing clear instructions and expectations. I also monitor progress and check-in with employees routinely so that we are meeting goals and working at an acceptable standard."