What does effective leadership mean to you?

"Effective leadership is to act decisively, with integrity, while treating everyone fairly and with equal respect. You want to motivate and inspire, and these things should come from your own nature. Be bold and execute your work with positivity and pride. Actively listen and learn, and be in tune and empathetic with those who you are working with. Remind yourself that everything you do has an impact, so be mindful and respectful at all times, and perform check-ins with humility."

Regardless of whether you have held an official leadership position in the past, think of the leadership values and principles you embrace and embody. Consider how you have mentored or coached others in the past, and how you would bring that experience to this role. If there was someone in the past who served as a mentor, role model, or personal hero for you, examine those qualities in them which you admired and try to embrace within yourself.

Here are some of the leadership qualities the Civil Service tries to promote in their employees: "Show enthusiasm for your work and take personal accountability for your role. Demonstrate responsibility for your own objectives. Act in a fair, inclusive, and respectful way when dealing with others. Be considerate and understanding of other people's points of view. Understand and support the objectives of the wider team. Demonstrate consideration of the wider consequences of own actions."

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.