5 Leadership Interview Questions to Ask

Managers have a range of hard and soft skills that make them fit to lead teams. Here are a few different types of leadership abilities they must possess:

• Adaptability: Processes, jobs, and team organizational structures change constantly. The ability to adapt to anything that comes up can help you thrive in any work environment.
• Collaboration skills: People in leadership roles are a part of a team. Effective leadership means team members know how to get everyone on the team involved in a project, so they can work together to reach their shared goal.
• Communication skills: Managers need to communicate effectively because they must have the ability to clearly explain processes and instructions to their direct reports. But communication is about more than just how you relay a message. Those in leadership roles should also know how to practice active listening—or engaging fully in what the other person says. This helps cut down on miscommunication and facilitates conflict resolution and problem-solving.
• Decision-making: The best leaders can come to and make a decision. This core competency means you can make difficult decisions when necessary.
• Delegation skills: An effective leader with experience knows delegating tasks to their direct reports instead of taking them on themselves can work to everyone’s advantage. And implementing proper delegation skills among team members can build up confidence in employees.
• Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence allows leader to manage their own feelings properly, as well as speak to their coworkers and direct reports with empathy. Learn how to develop emotional intelligence.
• Mentoring skills: Good leaders serve as mentors. They invest time in helping their direct reports grow and develop the necessary skill sets, setting them up for success.
• Motivation skills: Creating a positive work environment ensures everyone wants to come into the office. Keeping positivity at the forefront of your work provides employees with encouragement, which means taking time to praise a direct report for completing a task, correcting a mistake, or navigating a difficult situation.
• Problem-solving skills: Problem-solving is one of the more important leadership traits. Difficult scenarios arise all the time, and leaders need critical thinking to arrive at solutions.
• Time management: Managing multiple workloads is a solid trait of successful leaders. A leaders must know how to get everyone’s schedules to work together to complete projects.
• Trustworthiness: Employees and leaders should have trust in one another because it sets a team up for success. If team members or a manager questions motivations, then it can prove difficult to work together or to feel motivated to do the work.
• Work-life balance: Leaders must compartmentalize their work from their home life, so they can avoid burnout.

Hiring managers and recruiters must ask the right questions during the interview process and during job interviews to ensure they find people with real leadership potential. Use the following example questions for your interview preparation to determine their leadership experience and to find the right hire for your leadership position or management role:

1. 1. Ask for examples. During an interview, ask, “Can you give me an example of a time when you demonstrated leadership skills during a project or within a team?” This can help you gauge how they put their leadership skills into action. It can also offer insight into their leadership style. For example, you may learn that they prefer a hands-off approach because they let team members arrive at solutions before they step in.
2. 2. Give them a potential scenario. You may ask an interviewer, “You realize you will not make your quarterly deadline. How would you handle it?” This gives the interviewee a chance to demonstrate how well they understand the job description and your company’s specific needs, as well as how they would tailor their leadership abilities to your culture and workplace.
3. 3. Have them describe conflict management. Ask, “How would you handle a disagreement on your team?” Conflict resolution is one of the most challenging parts of being a leader as it requires social awareness, confidence, and problem-solving skills to make sure that the team remains cohesive despite disagreements.
4. 4. Inquire about their leadership style. You can ask interviewees, “What is your leadership style?” With this question, you can learn whether their leadership style fits in with your business’ ethos but also how their style sets them apart from other candidates. They should know what kind of effect their leadership has on others, and how they can use their skills to motivate and inspire their team.
5. 5. Request information on project management. Ask, “How would you make sure you complete projects on time, within budget, and with quality in mind?” A good leader can demonstrate how they delegate tasks and oversee projects to produce positive results, regardless of the size or strengths of the team.

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