Talk about a manager that you did not connect with. How will you lead your team differently?
Although you should always avoid criticizing a previous boss in your job interviews, this question specifically asks you to point out a time when you may not have appreciated your manager's leadership style. Rather than turn your answer into a negative reply, focus on a situation where you learned a valuable lesson. Instead of providing a list of issues and complaints, briefly mention why you could not connect with this person, and then focus most of your answer on your actions to succeed in the environment.
"As an enthusiastic employee, it's important to me that the workplace feels like a collaborative place where I can learn and grow from others. Two years ago, I worked for a manager who was very driven by their successes and career growth. It felt as though this manager had little interest in growing the team members as individuals. To make the best of the situation, I gathered a digital library of helpful resources, added the resources to a Google Workspace, and shared my findings with my co-workers. Together, we all took free online courses, listened to podcasts, and discussed how we could optimize our roles in a way that would benefit the team and our career trajectory. The results were uplifting, and my teammates felt empowered by their new knowledge. This initiative also skyrocketed our team collaboration. When I am a manager, I will ensure that every team member has access to the education and training they want and need. We win by helping others to succeed. This is the philosophy I will always lead with, especially after witnessing such positive results with my team just a couple of years ago."
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
I had an interim manager that did not seem to have the same dedication as he used to and showed little interest and support in the work, and projects of his team. He was an okay manager but caught in the cog of daily tasks. A bit disconnected from his team; we were all working on our projects in our own areas but our monthly meetings weren't happening and you could sense the disconnectedness. I discovered one of the things that people were struggling with was the new software.
As
Jaymie's Feedback
This is a great start! Be sure to finish the response with how you will lead your team differently.
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