TOP 10 MANAGER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS! (How to PASS a Management Interview!)

Summary

This video provides valuable insights from a live management interview, where the speaker shares effective strategies for excelling in managerial roles. Topics covered include essential management skills like communication, problem-solving, and delegation, along with how to handle underperformance and motivate teams. The speaker highlights their personal management style, combining autocratic, transformational, and delegated approaches, and shares an example of successfully mentoring a team member. They also provide a comprehensive 30, 60, and 90-day action plan to succeed in the role. Viewers are encouraged to download scripted answers and connect on LinkedIn for more tips.

Takeaways

• 😀 Demonstrate confidence and resilience as a manager, highlighting your ability to handle difficult situations and lead under pressure.
• 😀 Acknowledge the importance of leadership skills, such as coaching and mentoring, to help others achieve their potential.
• 😀 Strong interpersonal skills, including communication, listening, and motivating others, are essential for an effective manager.
• 😀 Address underperformance immediately and confidently, setting clear expectations and offering support to help team members improve.
• 😀 In the first 30 days as a manager, focus on understanding the team's strengths and weaknesses, and align your goals with the company's strategic objectives.
• 😀 Clearly distinguish between leadership and management—leadership is about motivating towards goals, while management focuses on resource allocation and control.
• 😀 Adapt your management style depending on the situation—use autocratic, transformational, or delegated styles as needed to achieve the best results.
• 😀 Use performance reviews to identify team members' strengths, passions, and career aspirations, and delegate tasks accordingly to enhance productivity.
• 😀 A 90-day action plan is a practical tool for a new manager to outline clear goals and strategies for success in the role.
• 😀 Prepare thoughtful questions for the interview, such as inquiring about the team's strengths and weaknesses and the organization's long-term objectives.
• 😀 Always be accountable for your team’s performance, and ensure clear communication with senior management to report progress and challenges.

Q & A

What qualities does Richard describe as essential for a successful manager?

Richard mentions that strong interpersonal skills, effective communication, motivational ability, good organizational and delegation skills, strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, confident decision-making, commercial awareness, and mentoring skills are all crucial for a successful manager.

Why does Richard want to be a manager?

Richard wants to be a manager due to the responsibility that comes with the role, his desire to lead in difficult situations, and his enjoyment in coaching and mentoring others to help them realize their full potential.

How does Richard deal with an underperforming team member?

Richard addresses underperformance immediately, avoiding assumptions and seeking to understand the reasons behind it. After discussing the issue, he sets a clear action plan with a strict timescale and provides the necessary support to help the team member improve.

What would Richard do in the first 30 days as a manager?

In the first 30 days, Richard would meet with the senior management team to understand the organization's goals, observe his team's performance, set targets, delegate tasks, and conduct individual performance reviews with his team members.

What is the difference between leadership and management according to Richard?

Richard explains that leadership is about directing and motivating people towards a goal, whereas management is about controlling and allocating resources to achieve those goals. He believes both leadership and management skills are necessary for a strong manager.

How would Richard describe his management style?

Richard uses a combination of autocratic, transformational, and delegated management styles. He employs an autocratic style when urgent tasks need to be done, a transformational style when implementing changes, and a delegated style to empower his team based on their strengths.

Can you give an example of a time Richard mentored someone?

Richard mentored a team member who wanted to become a team leader. He gave her leadership tasks, allowed her to shadow him, and helped her gain the necessary experience. Eventually, she was promoted to a team leader after six months of mentoring.

How does Richard delegate tasks and responsibilities to his team?

Richard delegates tasks based on the strengths, knowledge, and passions of his team members. He ensures that the tasks align with their career aspirations, believing that when team members are passionate about their work, they perform better.

Why should the organization hire Richard as a manager?

Richard believes the organization should hire him because of his confidence, leadership skills, ability to mentor others, accountability, and his strong support for the senior management team's goals. He also presents a clear 30, 60, and 90-day action plan to demonstrate his commitment and approach.

What questions does Richard ask during the interview at the end?

At the end of the interview, Richard asks about the strengths and weaknesses of the team he would be managing, and about the long-term objectives of the organization.