Personnel Selection: Interview Questions: Leadership

Are you a better leader or follower?
Are you a leader? Give some examples.
Are you a natural leader or a natural follower?
Are you able to lead others?
Are you more of a leader or follower?
As a department manager, how would you establish staff rapport?
Can you lead a group of (__) employees to complete a task? If so, give an example or explain.
Can you instruct a group of employees without feeling intimidated?
Can you take instruction without feeling upset?
Can you take instructions without feeling upset or hurt?
Can you take instructions/criticisms without feeling upset?
Can you take instructions?
Can you work with direct supervision?
Define cooperation.
Describe an incident in which you had to discipline a subordinate.
Describe an incident in which you had to give a verbal warning to a subordinate.
Describe how you are mentoring an employee.
Describe how you supervise other employees.
Describe how you would discipline a subordinate for tardiness.
Describe how you would discipline a subordinate for missing work.
Describe how you would discipline a subordinate for missing a deadline.
Describe how you would discipline a subordinate for inappropriate behavior.
Describe the (best/worst) manager you have ever had.
Describe the (best/worst) subordinate you have ever had.
Describe the ideal supervisor-subordinate relationship.
Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and subordinates.
Describe the toughest (manager/subordinate) you have ever had.
Describe your approach to management or supervision.
Describe your management philosophy. Have your disappointments helped you improve yourself?
Do you consider yourself a leader or a follower? Why?

Do you have a unique approach to management or supervision?
Do you have job performance appraisals?
Do you have the attributes of a good manager?
Do you need direct supervision?
Do you publicly disagree with your supervisor?
Do you report to more than one supervisor?
Do you require close supervision?
Do you see yourself as more technically or management oriented?
Do you sometimes get flustered when working with supervisors?
Do you supervise others?
Do you think you have the personality to be a (manager/supervisor)?
Do you think you would make a good (manager/supervisor)? Why?
Do your subordinates come to you with personal problems?
Explain an instance when you used your leadership skills to solve a problem.
Explain how you have used your skills to resolve a conflict between your boss and a co-worker.
Explain how you have supervised others.
Explain how you have worked successfully with a team.
Explain how you motivate others to work more efficiently.
Have any employees you have mentored been promoted?
Have you ever had to make decisions when your supervisor was unavailable? Explain.
Have you had any supervisory experience? Explain.
Have you held any leadership responsibilities? Explain.
Have you mentored (anyone/a subordinate)?
Have you supervised any subordinates? Explain.
How closely are you supervised?
How closely do you supervise others?
How closely have your past supervisors managed you?
How closely would you supervise an employee who was having difficulty?
How did the employees you hired work out?
How did you get along with your last supervisor?
How did your boss rate your job performance?

How do you communicate with your subordinates?
How do you communicate with your superiors?
How do you delegate responsibility?
How do you establish rapport with your subordinates?
How do you establish rapport with your subordinates?
How do you feel your supervisor could have done a better job?
How do you get along with superiors?
How do you handle leadership?
How do you supervise your staff?
How do you think that supervisors and subordinates should act toward one another?
How do you think your boss or a co-worker would evaluate your current job performance?
How good are you at personnel management?
How have past managers gotten the best out of you?
How have you selected any subordinates you've had in the past two years?
How many employees do you supervise?
How many employees have you mentored?
How many immediate subordinates have you removed from their jobs recently?
How many levels of management did you interact with?
How many people are you comfortable supervising?
How would you characterize your leadership and use of authority?
How would you deal with a subordinate who violated a company policy?
How would you decide who to fire?
How would you define your management philosophy?
How would you discipline a subordinate?
How would you evaluate your present employer's weaknesses?
How would you go about creating a plan for your department if you were the boss?
How would you go about terminating an employee?
How would you handle a supervisor challenging one of your decisions?
How would you handle reporting to more than one supervisor?

How would you organize your staff if you managed this operation?
How would you typify your relationship with your former boss?
How would your subordinates describe you?
How would your supervisor describe your leadership abilities?
In relation to others, how do you view yourself on taking initiative?
In what respects have you improved as a supervisor in the past few years?
In what ways do your leadership skills show?
Tell about your leadership skills?
Tell me about a time where you had to stand firm and make a tough or unpopular decision in order to maintain the standards you had set.
Tell me about an experience where you had to manage people conflicts at work -- could you describe an incident like this?
Tell me about the best boss you've ever had.
Tell me about the worst boss you've ever had.
Tell me more than your resume does about managing our department -- for example, how do you handle acquisitions?
What are the most important attributes of a good manager?
What are the qualities that are most important to a manager?
What are you looking for in a supervisor?
What are your team-player attributes?
What challenges have you faced in a leadership position?
What did you dislike about your supervisor?
What do your subordinates consider your strengths?
What do your subordinates think of you?
What factors do you think have contributed to your effectiveness as a supervisor?
What is the title of the person who you report to, and what were his or her responsibilities?
What is your management philosophy?
What is your opinion of your current boss?
What is your opinion of your last boss?
What kind of boss do you prefer?
What kind of boss/supervisor do you prefer?
What leadership positions have you held?
What management positions have you held?

What organizational techniques do you use to manage your workload?
What qualities do you think a successful manager posses?
What qualities make the best manager?
What qualities should a successful manager possess?
What quality should a successful manager possess?
What role do you take ina group situation? Give examples.
What steps would you take to terminate an employee who is not performing adequately?
What techniques do you use to motivate people?
What type of supervisor brings out the best performance in you?
What was the best boss you've ever had?
What was the worst boss you've ever had?
What would you look for in hiring people? For this job?
What would you say about a supervisor who was tough to work with?
What would you say about a supervisor who was unfair?
What would your former supervisor say about you?
What would your past supervisors tell me about you?