New Manager Mock Interview
Practice 40 New Manager interview questions covering leadership transition, team dynamics, and first-time management challenges.
Question 27 of 40
Tell me about a time when you had to lead by example.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
General
Community Answers
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
The interviewer wants to know that, as a new manager, you understand the importance of leading by example. Your actions, decisions, and demeanor will be under observation once you hold a management title. Even if you are new to management in a work setting, you can show that you have a genuine interest in setting a good example by providing an example from your education, a competitive sport or hobby, or your volunteer experience.
Behavioral-based interview questions that begin with "Tell me about a time when..." are best answered by providing a story-based example. You can achieve this by using the STAR framework. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide the interviewer with the right amount of information and detail to form a compelling story highlighting your leadership strengths.
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"(Situation) Last year, our company merged with a competitor, and there were rumors of pending layoffs. (Task) Even though I was not in a leadership position, I was a top-performing sales rep, and many of my co-workers looked to me for answers. (Action) I knew that I must lead by example and showcase a positive mindset. Rather than show my stress of the potential job loss, I encouraged my team to perform harder than ever. I suggested that we show the corporate head office exactly what we were made of to convince them that we were indispensable during this merger. (Result) Most of the team members jumped on board with this approach, and our group ended up being the #1 sales team in our region that quarter, which resulted in zero layoffs for our team. It was an honor to help lead these efforts, and this experience provided me the evidence I needed to pursue an official leadership position, which is what gave me the confidence to apply to this management role with Company ABC."
Interview Coach
Jaymie
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Anonymous Answer
I treat others with respect, and a lot of my work is outdoor education so I am right down there in the dirt with the kids, and the adults to show the volunteers and new instructors to be yourself and authentic. There is more than one way of making a connection and as long as you can inspire them to learn more, provoke learning, and make it relatable you will be successful. I always keep this in mind.
Jaymie's Feedback
Anytime you're educating, you are leading, so this is a good example! You're leading them in their technical skills and learning as well as showing them what a kind and caring person looks like.
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