Sample interview questions from students (previous semesters)

Leadership Styles:

1: How do you communicate with your subordinates?

2: Burns stated, leadership is exercised when persons mobilize institutional, political, and
psychological and other resources so as to arouse, engage, and satisfy the motives of
followers. What do you think of this statement? How do you motivate/encourage your
followers?

3: What are the important values you uphold and demonstrate to your subordinates?

Situational Leadership Model:

4: How do you manage conflicts should arguments arise between your subordinates?

5: Was there a situation where you had different opinions from other leaders? If yes, were you
able to persuade the leader to change his/her opinion? If no, what would you do to persuade
the leaders to change their opinion?

6: Explain a situation where you took up the leadership role during a project or activity. Can
you explain in detail your role and how each individual react to your leadership style?

Behavior:

7: Is there a difference in the way you manage your new and older employees?

8: As a leader, do you focus more on the interpersonal aspect or on the task to be

performed?

9: According to the LPC questionnaire you did earlier on, it shows that you are more of a
__________ orientation person. Can you provide a scenario where you displayed this
behavior?

Traits:

10: What are some traits you possess which makes you an effective leader? In what instance
have you demonstrated this behavior?
Skills:

11: Leadership development is an ongoing process, how do you learn from daily
experiences?

12: Can you please provide a situation where you demonstrated leadership skills?

Power:

13: Please share with me a situation where you effectively delegated work to your
subordinates?

14: What are some of the factors you take into consideration before deciding when to
delegate the job?

Influence Tactics:

15: House et el said that leadership is the ability of an individual to influence, motivate and
enable others to contribute towards the effectiveness and success of the organization. How
do you influence your subordinates to work towards the same goal as you?

1. Draft of interview questions

1) What values and beliefs do you have as a leader of the company?

2) How would you define leadership and what is the purpose of your leadership?
3) What are the criteria that you use to measure effectiveness of your own leadership?

4) How do you motivate your employees to perform optimally and ensure employee productivity?
5) How have you supported, developed and recognized your employees?
6) Having operated the company from before to after the dotcom boom, how did you prepare and
manage your staff through these changes?

7) What are some of your personal traits that have helped you in your leadership journey?
8) What skills do you possess that has helped you to lead your staff and grow the company? (E.g. it
can be certain technical, interpersonal or conceptual skills that you have)
9) Having worked at various levels of managerial position and industry sectors prior to this, how
have you differed in leveraging your skills set?
10) How do you exert power and influence over your employees? What are the times where there are
downsides to the power and influenced used?
11) How do you deal with disagreements and conflicts within the company?
12) How do you influence your subordinates when making a major decision about your company or
change their mind when they disagree?

13) How do you empower other staff to make business decisions when you are away (e.g. on business
trips)?
14) How and why do you work alongside with your subordinates to involve them in new company
projects or product developments?
15) How did you rally the staff and build morale when the company met with challenges?

16) How does your leadership style differ when leading the Singapore team compared to that of Japan?
17) How do you adapt your leadership style to these different situations you faced?
18) What were some situations in which you may have failed as a leader and what do you think were
the reasons?

19) What do your employees think of you as a leader? In what ways do they share your vision, beliefs
and values?
20) How do you describe your relationship with your employees? How have you inspired your
employees and contribute to their professional or personal growth and development?

1. Draft of interview questions

1. How would you describe your style of leadership?

2. How has it changed over the years? Why?

3. How would you react when your employees makes a mistake?

4. Would you change or cater your style of leadership in relation to the situation as well as with
different employees?

5. What is the most important value/s you look for in all your employees?

6. How would you deal with an employee that does not follow your instruction?

7. How do you change your employees attitude/ behavior towards work?

8. Are you someone that is more focused on accomplishing a task as compared to maintaining
and observing the morale of the workforce?

9. In your team, are you someone that is more focused on setting the direction, create vision, as
compared to focus more on implementing the vision?

10. In most decision making process do you come up with the decision or others contribute to the
decision making process?

11. What do you think is the most important quality/ trait to being a good leader?
 12. Do you have any role model or leader in life that you wish to be able to follow or model your
leadership style to?

13. Any particular aspect of your leadership you would like to improve on?

1. Draft of interview questions

Q 1: How would you describe your leadership management style?

Q 2: What are some important values or characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?
Q 3: Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Why and how did
this person impact your life?
Q 4: How do you foster creative and innovative thinking within your organization? How are ideas
shared and implemented within your organization?
Q 5: How do you maintain your and your teams daily motivation and inspiration despite obstacles and
setbacks?
Q 6: What is the most difficult part of being a leader? What are some of the most difficult decisions
you had to make?
Q 7: How do you measure success for you as a leader?
Q 8: How do you lead through change?
Q 9: What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?
Q 10: What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?