Every company needs leaders at all levels in their organization, sometimes team members can be promoted from within but at other times companies need to hire someone like you. Here are some questions you should expect in an interview.
Five team leader questions.
What’s your leadership style?
This is a common question that gets asked at team leader interviews. The employer wants to see that you have a proven strategy for leading people. It’s a tricky question as there are no right or wrong answers. Your leadership style is determined by several factors, including skills, experience, values and the company culture.
Your answer should clearly explain what your management style is. Always indicate that your approach isn’t rigid – but is adaptable and flexible enough to fully support each team member.
What would you do if two members of your team didn’t get on?
Let’s face it, most teams contain people who have different drives, personalities and ways of doing things. So it’s inevitable that at some point, two colleagues won’t get on. As a team leader, it’s part of your job to manage this situation, and ensure it doesn’t escalate.
Being asked to describe what action you would take if colleagues didn’t get on is a question that’s frequently asked in team leader interviews, explain the problem, the action you took and the result.
How do you build a strong culture within your teams?
When a team shares a set of beliefs, attitudes and values, they’re better equipped to achieve their collective goals. Whether it’s hitting a sales target or getting a new product to market.
Team culture is achieved through many things, including supportive leadership and trust – but these things may not be enough on their own. So try and think about practical ways you can create a strong culture, such as team building events, regular one-to-ones and team catch-ups, and use these examples to help give your answer credibility.
What methods would you use to evaluate your team’s performance?
Measuring a team’s performance is an important part of a team leader’s job. By identifying strengths and weaknesses of each team member, you can assign them tasks that match their skills.
The method you’ll use to measure the team’s performance will depend on things like the sector you work in, the type of job the team is doing and what the company’s goals are. So, when preparing your answer, think about what factors are important to measure and how you’ll use the information to improve the team’s performance in the future.
And if you can demonstrate how these align with hitting overall business objectives, you’ll really be able to get the interviewer’s attention.
Tell us about a time you led your team to success?
This question focuses on your ability to inspire and motivate your team. This is your opportunity to impress the employer with your leadership skills, so don’t shy away from acknowledging your accomplishments.
Have a strong example, clearly explain what the project was, how you managed the team and what value this brought to the company. But also show how the whole team contributed to this success.
