Describe a time when you led a team to a goal and how did you achieve the goal on time.

Setting strategic long-term and short-term goals is expected of a Department Manager. The interviewer wants to hear how you've accomplished this in the past and how you could do it before the deadline. Share your experience and describe your methods for leading the team. If possible, use an example that is aligned with the responsibilities of a Department Manager.

"In my previous position as a Sales Manager, I was tasked with meeting sales goals regularly. Before the holiday season, I conducted customer service refresher training for all associates and offered a free lunch incentive if we were able to exceed the previous year's goals. I also gave rewards to associates who could attain large sales or sales with a large quantity of items. Because all of the employees were excited to win, overall, we were able to exceed the previous year's goals well before the holiday season ended."