Leadership Interview Questions (Good Leaders Ask Great Questions Series)

 Good Leaders Ask Great Questions

Inspired by E.J. Lugo

These questions can help camp directors and supervisors assess potential staff and their level of engagement as they navigate your interview process.

The goal is select a staff team that will enhance the overall camp experience for both staff and campers. I have typically hired for enthusiasm and not skills. Skills can be taught. Enthusiasm to learn and embrace new things develops over time as individuals gain experience, build confidence in their ability to learn, and recognize the benefits of continuous growth in personal and professional life; this is often referred to as a "growth mindset."

BACKGROUND: I spent the last few months in research and consultation with human resource professionals as well as the most common questions that stem from Behavior Based questions. I have compiled a grouping of questions below that help determine specific behaviors that youth development professionals at camp deem necessary for successful camp leadership candidates.

Remember, all questions are like Ogres. Okay, if you don't get the reference, but here is the video link. Questions are layered and you can dig deep or go in a deep dive in a discussion.

Who will you hire?

John Maxwell says, "In job interviews, ask candidates how they have previously handled frustration, disappointment and challenging situations with co-workers. Listen for how they have been influenced by others or how the feedback of a previous supervisor has made a difference in their leadership style. The ability to accept and adapt based on such assessment is a critical skill for effective leaders.

QUESTIONS

(These are not intended to be first questions or get to know you questions. These are to determine a behavior about what they have done in the past. Past performance being the best indicator for future behavior.)

Communication: Can you describe a situation when you were able to strengthen a relationship through effective communication? (Follow up is, what made your communication effective?)

Tell me about a time where you had difficulty understanding someone who supervised you? 

Conflict Resolution: Can you describe a time when you took personal accountability for a conflict and initiated contact with someone who was involved to explain your action?

Delegation: What has been a mistake you have had when delegating work to someone? And what has been your biggest success?

Flexibility: Can you give me an example of a time when you faced an obstacle and had to adjust how you proceeded?

As you can see, these examples are about how folks have worked in the past. There may be times that your candidate has never had a job prior to this interview. I always ask for them to think about times where they worked with others; perhaps on a team, at church, or on a school project. One can always extrapolate performance based on past experience; no matter how different it may be from the role that they are applying.

Tell me in the comments what topics you would like to hear these style questions? What has worked for you and what has not?

I hope you have enjoyed these questions and will consider coming back for the next set in the series on interview questions.

Be the Expert! Additional Items To Research

1. Forbes - "Top 10 Best Interview Questions to Ask" (www.forbes.com)
2. Harvard Business Review - "Recruiting Lessons for the Long Game" (hbr.org)
3. Inc. Magazine - "8 Interview Questions You Need to Ask to Hire the Best" (www.inc.com)
4. SHRM - "Behavioral Interviewing Strategies for Interviewers" (www.shrm.org)
5. LinkedIn Talent Solutions - "The Best Interview Questions to Assess Top Talent" (business.linkedin.com)
6. The Muse - "51 Great Questions to Ask" (www.themuse.com)
7. Fast Company - "15 Interview Questions to Ensure Successful New Hires" (www.fastcompany.com)
8. Glassdoor - "50 Most Common Interview Questions" (www.glassdoor.com)
9. Business Insider - "The 27 Best Interview Questions According to Recruiting Experts" (www.businessinsider.com)
10. Entrepreneur - "Successful Interview Questions" (www.entrepreneur.com)

Relevant Statistics

1. 67% of employers say retention rates would be higher if candidates had a clearer picture of what to expect (Glassdoor)
2. 75% of interviewers say that the questions the candidate asks matter as much as the questions they answer (Robert Half)
3. Companies that use structured interviews are 50% more likely to identify bright hires (Forbes)
4. 69% of hiring managers report being perplexed by unconventional interview responses (Harvard Business Review)
5. 87% of companies say that improving retention is a critical strategy (LinkedIn)

Relevant Articles

1. Harvard Business Review - "The Value of Structured Interviews" (hbr.org)
2. Forbes - "Why Personality Matters In Interviews" (www.forbes.com)
3. Business Insider - "Innovative Interview Techniques" (www.businessinsider.com)
4. SHRM - "Engaging Interview Techniques Beyond Questions" (www.shrm.org)
5. Inc. - "Transformational Interviewing Strategies" (www.inc.com)

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