How to know if a job candidate will be a good leader

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Most people sit down for a job interview prepared to answer certain common questions: “Tell me about yourself.”

“Why do you think you’re a good fit for this role?”

What is your biggest weakness?

But what if the candidate is applying for a more senior leadership role? What are the best ways to determine if someone is an effective leader without relying on “culture fit” or making assumptions about who is a strong leader?

Writer Stephanie Vozza spoke to Barry Conchie, coauthor of The Five Talents that Really Matter: How Great Leaders Drive Extraordinary Performance about questions that reveal something about a job candidate’s ability to lead. “It’s not the strength of the interview question that’s important; it’s knowing what you’re listening for,” he tells Vozza. “Most people are clueless about that.”

Rather than asking them to explain a tough decision they’ve made recently, one question he suggests is, “Tell me about the last person you fired and why you fired them.” They’re much less likely to have a prepared answer to that, and “there’s no more difficult a decision than firing a person,” says Conchie. “If a person struggles to come up with an answer, you learn a lot about them as a leader.”

Another leadership trait to look for is natural curiosity, says Michel Koopman. “Everyone has met one of those naturally inquisitive people, who ask probing questions with ease, respect, and grace,” he writes in an article for Fast Company. “These people often lead with passion, solid judgment, and mindfulness.” So pay attention to how many questions they ask in the interview, and how deep and insightful those questions are.

And if you’re the one hoping to convey your leadership skills in the next interview you sit for, give some careful thought to how you deliver your responses, says longtime contributor Judith Humphrey. She suggests structuring your remarks into four parts: an opening statement, a cohesive message, proof points that support your message, and a clear closing thought. “‘The Leader’s Script’ is a narrative you weave throughout the interview,” she writes. “It allows you to tell your story.”