For you, what is the most difficult aspect of leading employees?
This question is another way of asking about your weaknesses. The interviewer wants to learn more about who you are, as a leader. Every Manager has an aspect of their role that is challenging for them. Share one aspect of leadership that you find most challenging, and why. Your example may be something that pushes you emotionally. It may be a hard skill that does not come to you easily. Feel free to share what you struggle with, and be sure to talk about the actions you are taking to improve in this area of leadership.
"The most difficult aspect of leading a team is terminating an employee. My goal is to end someone's employment only after having multiple conversations geared to improving a specific area of their performance. This way, the termination will not come as a surprise and can be less emotional for the employee. I often hear other leaders say that their terminated employee knew it was coming. Even so, I still find it very challenging to pull the trigger because I know that my decision is going to directly impact them and their family financially. To improve on this area of leadership, I have been reading books and immersing myself in resources such as blogs and resources from national human resources groups."
"I believe that, initially, the most difficult aspect of leading a team will be getting to know the variety of personalities present and how to motivate them individually and as a team. I have been reading many resources on leading and managing various personalities and will be ready to apply a few techniques right away."
"The most difficult aspect of leading employees is keeping them constantly motivated and interested in the company's end goal. To overcome this challenge, I take the 'What's in it for me?' approach (WIIFM) by showing my team how they will benefit from performing to a high standard."
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.
Anonymous Answer
The most difficult aspect of leading employees is when a company is undergoing radical organizational changes. For instance, a company I worked with decided to demote every district sales trainer overnight, which caused a great deal of stress and uncertainty. It was a clear sign that the company was intending to lose employees by attrition, and I wasn't prepared for that. Many sales reps from other districts called me to ask for advice, and the best I could come up with was to look to leadership books from John Maxwell and Tony Robbins. While I am an optimist, I am also a realist, and this situation was a clear indication that we all needed to reexamine our values and priorities and make a bold decision to stay or move on in our careers.
Rachelle's Feedback
You provided excellent leadership in a tough situation, which the interviewer will be happy to see. You also stuck by the company by not panicking, but rather challenging your team to put time into professional/personal development.
Anonymous Answer
The most difficult aspect is firing the employees.
Marcie's Feedback
Makes sense! To further build out your answer, talk about why you find this aspect of the job hardest. Have you ever had to fire someone before or just dread doing so one day? Also, consider briefly discussing what you might do to alleviate this difficulty. Nice job!
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