Tips To Describe Your Leadership Style In A Job Interview

An Overview:

When it comes to interviews, different questions are asked for different posts and positions. Clearly, there will be a one set of questions asked for the profile of a general manager and different set of questions asked to a sales person. In the same vein, a different set of questions will be asked to a person who would be appointed to be a team leader, a manager or even a CEO.
One of the most important questions asked during such an interview is: ‘What type of leader are you?’ Or ‘How would you describe your leadership style’ or ‘Are you a leader or a follower?’

True And Good Leadership

If you are ever asked to describe your leadership abilities and experience during a job interview, here are some tips to remember:

Are You A Leader Or A Manager?

Some interviewers may ask you whether you are a leader or a manager. To reply to this question, you must first understand the difference between a leader and a manager. Management and leadership have very different meanings:
✓ A manager is a title and leader is a function.
✓ Management is a position and leadership is a skill.

Team Leadership Vs Team Management:

A leader is someone who leads a team, and becomes a leader because of his or her skills and talents which are higher than those of the remainder of the group, while a manager is someone who is purposely hired to manage the operation of a team.
A leader is recognized as a leader by his teammates because he possesses some influential personal traits that affect the group performance and activities.

What Makes A Leader?

Leadership skills can be categorized as follows:
✓ Sharing Information
✓ Understanding Needs and Characteristics of the group
✓ Knowing the Resources and skillful in their utilization/development
✓ Controlling and Counseling
✓ Setting the Example
✓ Representing
✓ Planning & Evaluating
✓ Sharing leadership and Learning.

Words That Describe Your Leadership Characteristics:

Some key personal traits that effectively describe leadership performance are: Initiator, Innovator and Originator, Decision Maker, Listener, Critical Thinker, Coacher, Inspiring, Motivating, Dominating, Goal Oriented and Vision/Planning Abilities.
Determine which of the above skills you possess and expound upon (illustrate) them in your answer.

A True Leader Works With The Group:

The corporate world is altering quickly, and the general consensus nowadays is that a leader works side-by-side with the group, instead of merely delegating.
This is seen as the optimum path in today’s corporate world.
Do you display people orientated leadership? Are you essentially ‘people oriented’? It is known that a leader with no people who are willing to follow him (or her) is not a leader. The leader must maintain an effective interpersonal relationship with people resulting in an ongoing and growing network.
He may present original thinking, a fresh ideal, a vision or a new path that attracts and motivates others to go after him without hesitations.

Summary:

When you are questioned regarding your leadership style, try to integrate these points into your reply, along with some brief and concise examples portraying your leadership abilities in action. You may also wish to share leadership styles that you admire, and hope to emulate.