Personnel Selection: Interview Questions: Supervisory Skills

Delegation and Empowerment

Describe how you oversee the work of a group of employees.
How do you delegate assignments?
Do you empower employees to perform the assigned tasks?
How do you assign the right work to the right employees?
How are you able to motivate others through persuasion rather than coercion?
Describe how and when you allow employees to make their own decisions.
Have you delegated assignments to employees according to seniority?
How do you assign tasks appropriately?
Explain how you empower employees to make their own decisions in the field.
Explain how you give employees the ability to complete their tasks as they see fit.
Do you follow the company standard procedures for allocating assignments?
Do you delegate tasks to employees according to their skills (skill level)?

Coaching and Development

How do you identify and maximize opportunities for continuing education for employees?
Explain how you coach and mentor others to achieve higher performance levels.
Explain how you provide guidance and support to help employees achieve their goals.
How do you determine the training and development needs of employees and staff?
Did you offer instructions and guidance to subordinates?
Describe how you would coach subordinates on how to make good decisions.
Explain how you would encourage employees to achieve their full potential.
Describe how you would instruct employees on the safest way to perform tasks.
How would you introduce targeted training and development initiatives to address and elevate subpar performance?
Describe how you would seek to enhance the performance of employees under your supervision.
How would you instruct employees on the proper way to perform tasks?
Have you provided direction and coaching to employees?
Are you able to provide training on equipment as needed?
Do you feel you have been able to provide effective training and development opportunities for employees? Explain.

Communication

Do you always listen to others?
Describe the best ways to communicate effectively with different types of employees?
Describe how you would communicate the goals and expectations for the team.
How do you facilitate open communication between employees?
Do you feel you communicate effectively with employees?
Did you inform employees of what tasks needed to be completed on each shift?
Describe how you would foster an environment that supports open communication.
How do you ask employees for their ideas and opinions?
Explain how you listen to the concerns of employees.
Do you communicate on a daily basis with the team at the start of each shift?
How would you convey instructions, directives and guidelines to the employees?
Do you communicate equally well with all employees? Explain.
Explain how you communicate effectively to avoid issues, conflicts and errors on the job.
Do you ask employees for their input in decisions that may directly affect the team?
What steps do you take to make sure you are clear when assigning tasks to be completed?
How do you set clear expectations for acceptable performance?

Decision Making

Explain how you decide the best approach for addressing issues that arise on the job.
Describe how you would determine which team members are to be promoted to the next higher level?
How would you set the objectives to be completed for the shift?
Explain how you would decide which team members are assigned to each job.
What factors determine the appropriate staffing levels for the job?
What is the best approach to perform jobs that have some level of risk?
How do you decide what supplies need to be purchased?
How do you know when a job is satisfactorily completed?
How do you effectively determine which issues need immediate attention?
How do you ensure you make decisions based on all relevant information?
How do you decide the order that tasks need to be completed?
How do you decide what supplies are to be allocated on the job site?

Interpersonal

How do you demonstrate empathy, respect, and openness to employees?
Explain how you would facilitate conversations where each person can be heard?
Do others seek you for advice in a variety of situations? Give examples.
Describe how you would resolve internal employee and/or organizational conflicts through knowledge of management techniques.
Do you value the opinions of subordinates? Explain.
Have you maintained good working relationships with employees? Explain.
What do you do to maintain the confidence and trust of employees?
Explain how you treat all staff equitably?
How do you become aware of the unique strengths of each employee?
Describe how you ensure that you are respectful toward employees.
Do you have a high degree of multi-cultural competence to supervise individuals of various cultural backgrounds? Explain.
Have you worked well with your team members? Explain.
How do you maintain professional interactions with peers, customers, and employees?
How would you encourage good working relationships between employees?

Accountability

Explain how you ensure employees know what they need to complete during the shift.
How would you provide clear expectations of outcomes during performance reviews?
How do you encourage employees to take responsibility for mistakes?
How do you foster a culture of personal responsibility and accountability?
Do you hold others accountable for completing tasks on time?
Describe how you would make sure that employees are working toward goals set by the company.
Describe how you are clear about the expectations that employees will be held accountable for.
Describe how you would hold employees accountable for work assignments.
Give examples of how you hold others accountable for their work and job performance.
Explain how you would oversee employees to make sure their work is performed up to standard.
How do you make sure employees are accomplishing important objectives?
How do you make sure employees complete the work on time?

Disciplinary

Describe how and when you are willing to consider a spectrum of disciplinary measures, ranging from formal warnings to unpaid leave?
Explain how you would use persuasion rather than threats of disciplinary action.
How would you emphasize constructive discipline strategies, prioritizing the development and feedback of employees over punitive measures?
How would you consider the diverse perspectives of individuals during the disciplinary process?
Explain what steps you take to make sure you are consistent in disciplinary/corrective actions.
How do you maintain disciplinary policy and fair enforcement of work rules?
Describe how you would use disciplinary measures with the intent to guide and improve behavior, rather than to seek retribution.
Are you fair and equitable in enforcement of work rules? Explain.
How would you implement disciplinary policy in accordance with the union contract?
Would you intervene immediately if disciplinary action is warranted?
Are you diligent about properly documenting disciplinary actions? Explain.
Describe how you enforce workplace rules.

Performance Management

Have you completed performance assessments in a timely manner?
Do you review performance against established measures?
How do you maximize the performance of employees?
Have you had to schedule follow up meetings if employee's performance was below average? Explain.
What is the importance of good performance management?
Do you provide timely and thorough performance evaluations of employees?
What metrics and benchmarks were established by the department?
Describe how you perform thorough and timely employee performance appraisals.
Are you diligent about completing performance assessments on time?
Do you conduct regular performance management sessions?
Explain how you would measure job performance fairly using established criteria.

Feedback

Describe how you would provide feedback. Reference specific instances or examples.
Do you give employees feedback on a regular basis? Elaborate.
Describe how you provide constructive, ongoing feedback.
How do you provide feedback that is aligned with performance expectations?
Explain how you would offer constructive feedback to facilitate performance improvement.
Do you give feedback that includes both a recognition of the employee's strengths and areas where the employee could do better?
Have you responded positively to innovative ideas and suggestions from subordinates? Explain.
Do you meet with employees at the end of the job to debrief them?
Explain how you would provides useful and constructive feedback to employees.
Describe how and when you conduct regular progress meetings to ensure adherence to the schedule.
Have you provided detailed feedback to employees? Explain.

Rewards and Recognition

Do you recognize and reward excellent employees? If so, how and when?
Explain how you would recognize those who have exceeded expectations.
Describe how you would recognize when employees have completed major milestones.
Have you offered non-monetary rewards as incentives for employees?
Have you effectively used rewards to help motivate employees?
How and when do you recognize and reward employees?

Conflict Resolution

Do you resolve disputes in a way that quickly reaches mutual agreement?
Are you effective in resolving conflicts to mutual satisfaction of the parties?
Have you been successful in resolving personnel conflicts? Explain.
How do you get a complete picture of the situation? Who do you talk to?
How would you resolve personnel problems quickly and effectively?
Describe how you would spend time to actively listen to the grievance.
Have you successfully mediated conflicts between employees? Explain.

Self-Control

Explain how you maintain an even temper in stressful situations.
Do you always remains calm and professional even in stressful situations?
Would others describe you as a calming force during stressful periods?
Do you feel you are able to remain calm in tense situations? Give an example of when this happened.
Explain how you are able to manage emotions during difficult times.
How do you take a measured approach to resolving workplace issues, ensuring that actions are not taken hastily?
Describe how you would maintain a calm demeanor when addressing stressful issues in the workplace.

Teamwork

How do you support team members who are working on difficult projects?
What motivates and inspires high performance by team members?
Explain how you use the team to its fullest capacity.
How do you encourage teamwork?
Describe how you would facilitate team members working well together.
How do you provides good supervision for the team?
Explain how you would enhance teamwork through good supervision.
What promotes teamwork and cooperation within the department?

Leads by Example

Do you set a good example for others to follow? Explain.
Give examples of how you are able to show consistency between what you say and do?
Do others emulate your enthusiasm for work?
How do you lead others through your commitment to the department?
What exemplifies professionalism in the workplace?
Do you have a strong work ethic that inspires others? Can you give examples?

Exemplary

Do you foster a positive work environment in the department?
How do you contribute to a productive work environment for the team?
How do you demonstrate exemplary work performance that others should follow?