I was working on a team project when our team captain quit abruptly. This resulted in a huge debate, resulting in a lot of inaction from the rest of the team. After a short time, I jumped in and took charge. Rather than arguing the best way forward, I decisively acted and delegated tasks. Everyone responded to my confidence and got to work. We improvised as we moved forward, but by day's end, we had formulated a strong path forward and beat our deadline.

Your interviewer is trying to assess your leadership potential. They also want to know whether your leadership style embodies the core values of the civil service, which are honesty, integrity, impartiality, and objectivity. Identify what makes you an effective leader, and highlight how your leadership style or approach aided your success in the example you offer while conducting yourself according to their core values.

For those interested in growing their careers within the Civil Service, there are 'Leadership Schemes' which provide "a leadership development curriculum, which supports civil servants in accelerating their development as well as learning more about their personal leadership effectiveness." Study these schemes before your interview to get a better idea of what is expected of Civil Service leaders.