Leadership Interview Questions

When interviewing a leader in an organization in order to discover their leadership style one must ask critical questions. I had the opportunity to interview Casey Aguirre who is a Team Manager at the Salem Call Center for T-Mobile. Casey has been with T-Mobile for over 11 years. In this interview we discussed her leadership style, the steps she took to become a leader, her biggest challenges, and her greatest achievements among other things. While interviewing Casey I kept in mind the connection between women in leadership and the cultural disadvantages and advantages that women in leadership

Casse, P. (2014d). The new drivers of leadership. Training Journal, p. 30. Retrieved from academicguides.walden.edu/library

This approach emphasize that having a leader with a certain set of traits is crucial to having effective leadership. It’s the leader and the leader’s personality that are central to the leadership process.

Throughout recent history, the definition of leadership has been the subject of a vast number books, articles, and essays. Countless authors have attempted define the ability to lead in a tangible way. They have scrutinized on how one becomes a leader and how one successfully leads. Because the ability to lead is so ambiguous and no one can follow a definable set of steps to become a leader, many authors have use examples of leaders to illustrate their views on the subject. And even in the limited scope of time that is the history of the United States, dozens of men and women have lead Americans through their words, beliefs, and actions. Whether they are appointed leaders such as President George Washington or Thomas Jefferson, or leaders of worthwhile cause such as Susan B. Anthony or Martin Luther King Jr., these leaders provide a blueprint that if examined carefully, can provide useful advice for those aspiring to become great leaders. And for Donald T. Phillips, the American leader whose life “still inspires and moves people from all walks of life” and provides an example of leadership that is without equal is Abraham Lincoln (Phillips). In his book Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times Phillips provides 15 overarching leadership qualities that Lincoln followed all throughout his life. By describing how Lincoln exhibited each of these qualities thoroughly, Phillips then relates how potential leaders today can duplicate those same qualities in their

give a holistic view of the entire leadership process and clearly demonstrates how important it is

I had interviewed about leadership with Lee who is the manager of strategic planning in my company. To sum up the interview, he defined that leadership is causing other people to do what the leaders want. That is, leadership is helping other people to rise to their full potential while accomplishing the mission and goals of the organization.

When I was a lieutenant, one of my mentors told me that the officers ‘job is first and foremost about leadership. For senior officers, then, one must say everything is about leading strategically. In order to be an effective strategic leader, my self-assessment has led me to focus on the following goals during this academic year at the Air War College (AWC): to improve my understanding of the strategic environment; to learn to be strategically relevant, to shape my ability to communicate effectively at the strategical level.

The story of Captain D. Michael Abrashoff and his command of USS Benfold has now become legendary inside and outside the Navy. Captain Abrashoff offers this tale of top-down change for anyone trying to navigate today’s uncertain seas. When Captain Abrashoff took over as the commander of USS Benfold, which is a ship that is completely armed with every cutting-edge system available, but unfortunately, the ship was like a business that has all the latest technology but it lacked in productivity and teamwork. Knowing that that the responsibility for improving performance rested with him as the new USS Benfold’s Captain, Abrashoff realized that he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve the crew aboard the ship. Within months, Abrashoff created a crew of confident and inspired problem solvers eager to take initiative and responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became “It’s your ship,” and the USS Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. (Abrashoff, 2002) From achieving amazing cost savings to winning the highest gunnery score in the Pacific Fleet, Captain Abrashoff’s extraordinary campaign sent shock waves throughout the entire U.S. Navy fleet. By reading this book, it can really help you change the course of your leadership skills, no matter where your battles are fought. As a society, we continue to invest in the latest

General Powell highlights 18 lessons learned in leadership that are applied to successful companies, and how they are applied to leadership in his presentation to the Outreach Program, and the Sears Corporate Headquarters. These approaches can be applied not only in business but life in general. I will highlight three of the lessons that have impacted my career in the military

To inspire and influence others, a leader must possess many skills and abilities. As motivational speaker Peter Northouse, states, “a leader should be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant” (Northouse, 2013) Moving an entire group of individuals toward a singular goal is a considerable undertaking. Without effective communication skills and a clear vision of what needs to be accomplished, one will feel like they are trying to herd cats rather than leading.

Sheila, your interview with the Pastor of Student Ministry clearly displays positive leadership in the church. Pastor Spencer was on point when he indicated that ministry is about serving others and honoring God. Effective leadership and followership consists of selflessness and putting God first in order to succeed. Consistent with Maxwell (2002, pg.131), in order to be a contributing member of a winning team, you must put the needs of others before your own. I can relate to being selfless. In my job, I am consistently putting the needs of others before my own. I would not have it any other way. It brings me joy and a sense of self satisfaction. When staff members ask me for things, I try to jump right on it and make sure they get exactly

As a successful Fortune Fifty company, Lowe’s depends on great leaders to help the organization achieve its financial and organizational goals, motivate its extensive workforce, and build a culture where employees share and cultivate the purpose of the organization. While many great leaders, including Wheatley, Cashman, Peters, and others have written on the subject of leadership, the success of Lowe’s Companies has demonstrated that since 1946, it has been the home of many great leaders. By interviewing recognized leaders in key positions at Lowe’s, I hope to learn several valuable aspects of effective leadership, which I plan to incorporate in my personal leadership style.

Effective leadership produces changes and movement within the shipyard industry; if managers and supervisors are not equipped with leadership skills then, their organization will crumple. A large volume of failure is placed in the organization visions, their strategies, goals, and their subordinates will become empowered. Strategic leadership is the best leadership style to use within the shipyard industries to help maintain and better the organization. If no one is equipped with this knowledge then, the workers will not take the initiative to improve their assigned work. Leaders will not look ahead and analyze the completed tasks set within a specific period, and leaders will have no sense of adaptability and growth-orientation. Shipyard leaders with no leadership skill will lack in experience on

I have learned many lessons from Jack Welch on leadership. Jack Welch has been with the General Electric Company (GE) since 1960. Having taken over GE with a market capitalization of about $12 billion, Jack Welch turned it into one of the largest and most admired companies in the world by the time he stepped down as its CEO 20 years later, in 2000. Jack Welch used his uncanny instincts and unique leadership strategies to run GE, the most complex organization in the world and increased its market value by more than $400 billion over two decades. He remains a highly regarded figure in business circles due to his innovative leadership style. Jack Welch demonstrated Kouzes and Posner’s five practices of modeling the way, inspiring a shared

For decade’s individuals, companies, and organizations have spent an unprecedented amount of money on researching, molding, modeling and working to define what a leader is and what characteristics make successful leaders. Despite all the research, there is not a quick answer or even full agreement as to what makes an individual an effective leader. The definition of a leader is “someone who can influence others and who has managerial authority.” (Robbins, Decenzo, Coulter, 2015. P.370)