10 Leadership Interview Questions to Help You Hire Better
What sets good leaders apart? These leadership interview questions will help you find candidates capable of creating a productive work environment where teams can thrive. When evaluating potential team leaders, pay attention to their leadership philosophy and how they:
- Build and motivate teams through effective communication
- Handle difficult situations and demonstrate conflict resolution
- Navigate the decision-making process
- Show initiative and self-awareness
- Apply problem-solving and adaptability skills
➡️ Looking for more sample interview questions? Check out our list of manager interview questions, team leader interview questions, and internal interview questions.
The best leadership interview questions for hiring managers
- Describe your experience leading teams through major organizational change.
- What methods do you use to mentor and develop underperforming employees?
- Tell me about your approach to delegating tasks and setting milestones.
- How do you translate strategic thinking into actionable team goals?
- What metrics do you use to evaluate team performance?
- How do you ensure open communication and regular check-ins?
- Describe your process for building trust during unpopular decisions.
- How do you manage stakeholder relationships and professional growth?
- Share a leadership mistake and how it shaped your leadership approach.
- What is your philosophy on mentorship and professional development?
Common leadership interview questions for hiring managers and recruiters
Want to know what makes a good leader tick? Here are sample answers and what to listen for when evaluating leadership competency.
Leadership experience
Past experiences are the best predictors of future success. Use the STAR method to understand how candidates have handled their leadership role and managed team dynamics.
Q: Tell me about a time you had to lead a team through a major change. "When our company merged departments last year, I led a team of 12 through the transition. I scheduled individual meetings to hear concerns, created a detailed timeline for role changes, and held weekly updates to maintain transparency. Employee satisfaction scores remained above 85% through the process."
Q: How have you handled underperforming team members? "I had a talented developer who was missing deadlines. Through one-on-ones, I learned he was overwhelmed by competing priorities. We created a structured workflow system and set clearer expectations. Within two months, his productivity increased by 40% and he became one of our most reliable team members."
Q: What's the most challenging personnel decision you've had to make? "I had to let go of a senior manager who was technically brilliant but was creating a toxic environment. Before making the decision, I documented specific incidents, attempted performance improvement plans, and consulted HR. While difficult, it ultimately improved team morale and productivity."
💡 What to listen for:
- Specific examples with measurable outcomes
- Active listening and emotional intelligence
- Clear communication skills
- Focus on both project management and people
🚩 Red flags:
- Vague or theoretical answers
- Blaming others for failures
- Lack of empathy in difficult situations
- Poor conflict resolution skills
- Low competency in root cause analysis
- Inability to prioritize effectively
Strategy & decision-making
Strong strategic thinking helps identify candidates who drive long-term success. These questions reveal how candidates approach professional growth and align team goals.
Q: How do you translate company strategy into actionable team goals? "In my current role, I break down quarterly objectives into monthly team targets. When our company aimed to reduce customer churn by 20%, I created a roadmap that included improving response times, implementing proactive check-ins, and developing a customer health scoring system. We achieved a 15% reduction in the first quarter."
Q: Describe a time when you had to pivot your team's strategy. "When COVID hit, I led our retail team's transition to e-commerce. We reallocated resources, trained staff on digital platforms, and launched a virtual shopping experience within six weeks. This pivot helped us retain 80% of our revenue despite store closures."
Q: How do you ensure your team's work aligns with broader business objectives? "I implement monthly strategy alignment sessions where we review company KPIs and discuss how our projects contribute to them. I also created a project evaluation framework that scores initiatives based on their strategic impact, resource requirements, and potential ROI."
Q: How do you establish and monitor performance metrics while keeping stakeholders aligned? "I believe in a three-pronged approach to metrics and stakeholder management. First, I collaborate with team leads to establish KPIs that align with company objectives - for example, we recently set targets for customer satisfaction, delivery speed, and team productivity. Second, I create dashboards that track these metrics in real-time and monthly reviews to discuss progress and challenges. Third, I maintain open communication channels through weekly status emails, bi-weekly stakeholder meetings, and a shared project management portal. When we recently missed our quarterly target for delivery speed, this system allowed us to quickly identify bottlenecks, communicate the challenges to stakeholders, and implement corrective actions that got us back on track within 30 days."
💡 What to listen for:
- Clear understanding of meaningful metrics
- Structured approach to stakeholder communication
- Adaptability to market changes
- Ability to connect tactics to strategy
🚩 Red flags:
- Short-term thinking
- Inability to prioritize initiatives
- Lack of business acumen
- Poor understanding of organizational goals
Problem-solving & adaptability
Tough leadership interview questions help reveal how candidates handle complex situations, make difficult decisions, and navigate leadership challenges. Look for answers that demonstrate resilience, emotional intelligence, and sound judgment.
Q: Tell me about a time you had to implement an unpopular but necessary decision. "When we needed to cut our project budget by 30%, I had to cancel several initiatives the team was passionate about. I shared the financial data transparently, involved the team in prioritizing remaining projects, and created alternative development paths for affected team members. While initially met with resistance, this approach helped maintain team trust."
Q: How have you handled a situation where you strongly disagreed with your superior's decision? "When our CEO wanted to rush a product launch despite quality concerns, I prepared data showing potential risks and costs of early release. I presented alternative timelines that balanced speed with quality. Though the launch was still expedited, we implemented additional quality checks that prevented major issues."
Q: Describe a time when you failed as a leader and what you learned. "I once promoted a high-performing individual contributor to team lead without providing adequate management training. Their team's productivity dropped and two people quit. I learned to create proper transition plans for new managers, including mentorship programs and leadership training. Now, our new manager retention rate is 90%."
💡 What to listen for:
- Ability to make and own difficult decisions
- Balance between business needs and team welfare
- Learning from mistakes
- Constructive approach to disagreements
🚩 Red flags:
- Avoiding responsibility for outcomes
- Unwillingness to admit mistakes
- Disregard for team morale
- Inability to handle conflict professionally
Tips for interviewing leadership candidates
Top leadership skills to look for:
- Growth-driven candidates: Leadership is about more than just knowledge. Look for leaders who share company values and have high ambitions.
- Recruitment experience: It's likely leaders will get involved with hiring and training. Delve deep to find out what their experience really is.
- Adaptability: Look for candidates who react to challenges and approach difficult decisions with tenacity.
- Creativity: Employees who can think on the job and make fast decisions in the face of obstacles are key.
Best practices for leadership interviews:
- Structure interviews consistently: Use the same core questions for all candidates to ensure fair comparison
- Take detailed notes: Document specific examples and responses to help with final decision-making
- Include multiple stakeholders: Arrange panel interviews with various team members to get diverse perspectives
- Allow time for questions: Strong leaders ask thoughtful questions about the role, team, and company
Red flags to watch for:
- Taking credit for team successes without acknowledging others' contributions
- Inability to provide specific examples of past leadership experiences
- Showing resistance to feedback or demonstrating inflexibility
- Poor listening skills during the interview process
Interview environment tips:
- Schedule longer sessions: Leadership interviews typically need 60-90 minutes
- Choose a quiet, professional setting: Ensure the space reflects the seniority of the role
- Prepare scenario-based exercises: Consider including role-play or case studies
- Plan for follow-up: Be ready to schedule additional conversations with key stakeholders
Post-interview evaluation:
- Compare candidates against predetermined criteria
- Gather feedback from all interviewers promptly
- Consider cultural fit alongside technical capabilities
- Check references with a specific focus on leadership abilities
Remember: The best leaders combine strong technical skills with excellent people management abilities. Look for candidates who demonstrate both throughout the interview process.
Bonus tip: Follow up with candidates who weren't selected
Don't overlook the importance of closing the loop with candidates who didn't land the role. After selecting your ideal manager, take time to strengthen your company's reputation and demonstrate professionalism – connect with promising candidates to offer constructive feedback and express gratitude for their participation. ➡️ These examples of unsuccessful interview feedback will show you how.
Looking to enhance your recruitment strategy even further? Consider reaching out to candidates who progressed to the third interview rounds and invite them to complete a brief candidate experience survey. The feedback they provide can be invaluable for improving your hiring process moving forward.
Fill your next leadership position faster
Want to avoid costly leadership hiring mistakes? Here are three key strategies to find top leadership talent:
1. Write an attention-grabbing job listing
Create a clear job description highlighting:
- Key duties and success metrics
- Must-have and nice-to-have skills
- Team details and advancement paths
Use inclusive language in your job posting and share it widely:
- Post on Google
- Share on free job boards
- List on diversity and niche job boards
2. Screen smarter with automation
Use an automated screening questionnaire to assess:
- Leadership background
- Management style
- Problem-solving abilities
- Cultural fit
Send an automated follow-up email and use Breezy's Candidate Match Score to quickly identify top prospects.
3. Gather team feedback efficiently
Use Breezy's Team Scorecard to collect and organize feedback from all stakeholders in one place. The interview scorecard makes it easy to reach consensus on the right candidate.
Lead better job interviews with Breezy
With these leadership interview questions and a systematic approach to sizing up candidates, you'll be ready to spot your next leader in no time.
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