MockQuestions

First Time Manager Mock Interview

To help you prepare for your first manager job interview, here are 40 interview and answer examples.

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Question 21 of 40

How do you go about incentivizing your team in high-pressure situations?

"I work with a supervisor whose shifts nearly always run behind schedule. He works hard, but almost always promises our morning crew breakfast once the big push is done. But another supervisor nearly always faces the same odds, and she rarely runs behind, nearly always ahead of schedule. She is very organized, plays on everyone's strengths, and delegates strategically. However, the first supervisor I mentioned, assigns tasks seemingly at random, and spends more time being friendly at the beginning of the shift, and then playing catchup later on. And, everyone comes to expect a big fancy group breakfast once the store is open. And, at that point, even though there are still a few more hours in our shift, productivity plummets. Honestly, I don't see it as a sustainable use of the manager's expense account, nor does it really set the right tone among the group, nor play to the team's merits. I find I am more aligned with the second supervisor's approach. Lead by example, work smarter not harder, play to everyone's strengths, and give them a sense of accomplishment for the work they've put in, rather than incentivizing through bribes that are rarely earned, all while burning out the crew in the process. One thing is certain, the crew looks forward to working with her when she comes to work and leads. Yet with him, the first supervisor, no one looks forward to working with him, they just look forward to breakfast. I think the ancient philosopher, Lao Tzu, put it best, 'To lead people, walk beside them. As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. When the best leader's work is done, the people say, 'We did it ourselves!"

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How to Answer: How do you go about incentivizing your team in high-pressure situations?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Entry-Level Manager job interview.

  • 21. How do you go about incentivizing your team in high-pressure situations?

      Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

      Your interviewer would like to hear how you go about promoting the continued productivity of your teams in high-stress situations without compromising camaraderie or morale. How you answer should inform them of your experience level as a leader. Think about situations where you inspired your staff to succeed rather than bribing them with incentives. Touch on how you motivate the individual as well as the group, getting them invested as stakeholders into the mutual success of the team.

      Written by Kevin Downey on February 27th, 2024

      Answer Example

      "I work with a supervisor whose shifts nearly always run behind schedule. He works hard, but almost always promises our morning crew breakfast once the big push is done. But another supervisor nearly always faces the same odds, and she rarely runs behind, nearly always ahead of schedule. She is very organized, plays on everyone's strengths, and delegates strategically. However, the first supervisor I mentioned, assigns tasks seemingly at random, and spends more time being friendly at the beginning of the shift, and then playing catchup later on. And, everyone comes to expect a big fancy group breakfast once the store is open. And, at that point, even though there are still a few more hours in our shift, productivity plummets. Honestly, I don't see it as a sustainable use of the manager's expense account, nor does it really set the right tone among the group, nor play to the team's merits. I find I am more aligned with the second supervisor's approach. Lead by example, work smarter not harder, play to everyone's strengths, and give them a sense of accomplishment for the work they've put in, rather than incentivizing through bribes that are rarely earned, all while burning out the crew in the process. One thing is certain, the crew looks forward to working with her when she comes to work and leads. Yet with him, the first supervisor, no one looks forward to working with him, they just look forward to breakfast. I think the ancient philosopher, Lao Tzu, put it best, 'To lead people, walk beside them. As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. When the best leader's work is done, the people say, 'We did it ourselves!"

      Written by Kevin Downey on February 27th, 2024

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