As a hiring manager, you're probably familiar with the inquiry: "What is your leadership style?" This crucial question often yields scripted responses. However, there's a more insightful approach to evaluating whether a seemingly perfect candidate will truly thrive within your organizational culture and under your leadership.
At The Jule Group, we advocate for flipping the script and learning from the candidates themselves. By asking the right questions, you can uncover invaluable insights. Here are some queries tailored to help you gauge how well your leadership style aligns with the needs of potential candidates:
1. Probe into Past Management Experiences: Ask about the candidate's experiences with their previous managers, focusing on the leadership approach employed and its impact on their professional growth. The goal isn't to glean names or details about the past manager but to understand the management style's effectiveness in fostering growth or creating friction. Pay attention to how they were onboarded and trained initially and whether it facilitated early success.
2. Communication Styles: Inquire about the communication styles preferred by their previous managers and whether they found them effective. Was the communication primarily in person (casual passing by or formal 1:1), video call, phone, e-mail, instant messages, etc.? How did the employee perceive that method? Would they have preferred something different? Understanding their communication preferences can provide valuable insights into potential compatibility.
3. Favorite Leader Reflections: Explore the candidate's favorite past leader and what aspects of their leadership style resonated the most. Delve into how feedback was delivered—was it consistent, constructive, and tailored to individual needs? Assess the candidate's response to ascertain whether it aligns with your approach to leadership.
4. Challenges with Management: Encourage the candidate to reflect on experiences with challenging managers. If the term micromanagement surfaces, do your best to understand the candidate's perception of the management style and whether it stemmed from organizational culture or the manager's personal style. This can shed light on the candidate's tolerance for different leadership approaches. Ask the candidate if they ever addressed communication challenges with their manager in an effort to remedy them.
5. Learning from Past Leaders: Encourage the candidate to share valuable lessons learned from previous leaders, both positive and negative. Assess how they would handle similar situations if roles were reversed, offering insights into their adaptability and problem-solving skills.
These questions may initially surprise candidates, so it's wise to reserve some for subsequent interview rounds. Additionally, provide a proper preface to ensure transparency and comfort in answering candidly. I like to use something similar to this: I want to switch gears and understand more about some of your past leaders. As we all know, the culture from company to company is vastly different and for me, it's important to understand the environments and personalities that have shaped your career thus far…
By delving into a candidate's past experiences with leaders and organizational cultures, you gain valuable insights into their potential fit within your company. Ultimately, this approach equips you to assess their adaptability to your leadership style, fostering a collaborative and productive working relationship. As an interviewing expert, leveraging these insights is key to assembling a team that thrives under your guidance.
As a leader trying to navigate the needs of your team, it can be difficult to ensure harmonious result. If you could use help putting together a specific interview roadmap, The Jule Group can help. We've worked with hundreds of managers to build interview questions that result in higher engagement and longer team tenure. Message us today at hello@thejulegroup.com
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