MockQuestions

First Time Manager Mock Interview

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

New Manager was updated by on March 13th, 2024. Learn more here.

Question 8 of 40

How do you plan to set and communicate goals for your team members?

Goal setting is an important skill for any new manager to understand. Since you are new to your management role, you may not be an expert in goal setting. The interviewer wants to see evidence that you understand and prioritize goal setting and communicating goals to your team members.

Proper goal setting requires you to learn about your team, consider the company's objectives, and understand how to motivate each individual to work hard towards achieving these goals. Discuss how you plan to set goals with your team members and ensure that expectations are properly communicated.

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How to Answer: How do you plan to set and communicate goals for your team members?

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

  • 8. How do you plan to set and communicate goals for your team members?

      Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

      Goal setting is an important skill for any new manager to understand. Since you are new to your management role, you may not be an expert in goal setting. The interviewer wants to see evidence that you understand and prioritize goal setting and communicating goals to your team members.

      Proper goal setting requires you to learn about your team, consider the company's objectives, and understand how to motivate each individual to work hard towards achieving these goals. Discuss how you plan to set goals with your team members and ensure that expectations are properly communicated.

      Written by Rachelle Enns on April 16th, 2021

      Answer Example

      "Team alignment and a clear understanding of goals go hand-in-hand. I want to begin by setting goals for the team and then give each person time to consider the actions they would specifically like to take to achieve these goals. While attending college, I learned about SMART goals and how to apply them to my studies to create strong habits and maintain good grades. Although SMART goals are somewhat overused in corporate environments, they are often misunderstood, which can cause employees to dislike the approach. For this reason, I would show my team how beneficial it can be to consider setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. It's important that I set deadlines and track progress correctly to give praise when it's due, and we can course-correct promptly if necessary. My greatest goal is to help my team reach their goals. In turn, the company will reach its goals."

      Written by Rachelle Enns on April 16th, 2021

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "I love meetings. One of the most important determiners of success is clear communication. Things tend to fall apart when information isn't relayed to those who need it. Having weekly team meetings with students, and regular monthly check-ins allows everyone to share where they are in projects, and relay important changes - information in emails can get lost very quickly. But most important is setting clearly defined goals. Much like writing a school or youth program, you have to be specific about the goals and objectives, how these align with the mission and vision of the gardens, how will these be evaluated for success, what success means in the situation we are speaking of, and creating timelines. This provides a clear picture to everyone working on the project (s), what the intention is, if we end up on a tangent, how to get back to the original goal who needs support, who can offer support, and the like."

      Jaymie's Feedback

      Well done! You clearly understand the importance of effective communication and have techniques and strategies in place to set and communicate goals to a team.

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