An issue is a challenge that may not always be completely avoided in business operations. It’s indeed something that usually happens and needs someone who has the capability to solve it. That’s where a team leader shows up. The team leader has to be a decision-maker and also a problem-solver when urgent conditions emerge. But to become one, you’ll need to prepare for team leader interview questions.
It’s important to recognise that being a team leader, while not entirely a managerial role, still involves some level of management. This means any team member can be appointed to become a team leader as long as they are capable of guiding a team. If you’re preparing to take this position, don’t forget to practise for the interview. However, if you are unsure about the questions that may be asked, this article provides a comprehensive list of team leader interview questions. Take notes!
Who is a team leader?
A team leader is someone who is tasked to manage and guide a team to achieve business or organisational objectives. This role is very crucial. They’re not only to make sure business grows collectively but also individually. There are several managerial roles that contribute to leading a team in various ways, including managers, supervisors, and strategists.
If you aspire to secure one of those positions, it’s vital to practise team leader interview questions from now on. Make sure you have deeper knowledge about this role and its responsibilities. Although the team leader role may vary across businesses, one thing is certain—you must show strong leadership skills.
So, there’s nothing wrong with starting to learn it now. It'll maximise your contributions in this role. Ultimately, this preparation will enhance your chances to better articulate a leadership approach and make a meaningful impact on your team.
Responsibilities of team leaders
In an interview, it’s highly likely that part of the team leader interview questions an interviewer will ask is regarding the role’s responsibilities. For this, the best way to answer is to look within your current skills and shape your answer into how your abilities can get the work tasks done. But the truth is, there are plenty of responsibilities a team leader has to undertake, and may vary depending on the company. That said, generally, here are some tasks you can expect to face as a team leader:
1. Setting business objectives
As a team leader, you need to set business objectives. The business objective has to be set carefully and customised with available resources. After you have already set it strategically, the next thing you’ve to do is delegate some tasks to each team member. You also have to ensure all of the progress and performance are aligned with the initial plan.
2. Making decisions
Apart from setting business objectives, you will be required to become a decision-maker for your team. Those decisions can vary, starting with strategies to issues. In addition, decision-making can be said as one of the indicators of whether your leadership competency is good or not. So, it’s so important for you to have problem-solving skills to act as a decision-maker.
3. Managing conflict
The differences in personalities, backgrounds, and opinions of team members can be the triggers for internal conflict. It’s your job to step up. As a team leader, you are responsible for managing conflict and finding a way out. You have to try your best to create a good environment in your team so that all of the members can be more productive and contribute maximally.
4. Improving team strengths and weaknesses
No team is perfect. It’s best you understand that first. All of the members of a team definitely have their strengths and weaknesses. It’s your job to identify it and help them to grow. By knowing their strengths and weaknesses, it’s easier for you to delegate some tasks to capable team members to increase work efficiency. This topic often appears in team leader interview questions. So, mastering your response to how you improve your team will be highly beneficial in the interview.
5. Monitoring team performance
Lastly, the team leader is also expected to monitor all of the team's overall performance and measure the progress. Monitoring the team's performance will make you evaluate what works and what’s not. Additionally, monitoring team performance regularly also allows you to be able to address challenges before they escalate further.
Great team leader qualities
Another thing to consider when preparing for team leader interview questions is: what makes for a great team leader? At that moment, the interviewer is gauging whether you’re aware of what exactly a team needs in a leader to succeed. To become a great team leader, you should have some required qualities to indicate that you’re capable. Regardless of the industry the team leader role you’re pursuing is under, the qualities below are essential to master. Scroll down for more details.
- Communication: Having clear communication qualities is non-negotiable. As a team leader, you’ll have a lot of communication between team members, department cross-functions, or stakeholders. So, make sure you master communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, to minimise misunderstandings.
- Visionary: Team members often rely on you to determine which direction your team goes. You can’t decide if you don’t have vision. This vision is vital because it not only helps team members to have clear direction but also aligns everyone to the same goals.
- Mentor: A great leader is someone who can give motivation to team members and provide mentoring. With these qualities, you will solve their problems and contribute to their growth.
What are team leader interview questions?
There are many team leader interview questions, with the primary focus involving your approach to guiding a team to success. Practising these with the answers will make you easier in the process. It’s an excellent way to boost your confidence, which automatically influences an interviewer’s judgement of whether you’re fit for the role or not. Take a look at some team leader interview questions with an explanation of how you should respond.
1. Describe your leadership style
This kind of team leader interview questions often appear in the interview. As a basic question, the interviewer simply wants to know your style when leading a team. Later, they will analyse whether your leadership style is suitable for what they need. One thing you should know is that there’s no wrong answer to this question. So, answer truthfully based on your experience.
2. What value should a team leader have?
This question is deeper than the previous one and the answer is not only based on your experience but also needs a little research. As a team leader, you are expected to have values that can be shown to team members. Even though your values haven’t changed, it's good to choose values that align with the company. That’s why it’s highly recommended to research the company’s values beforehand.
3. What’s your biggest challenge when leading a team?
You definitely agree that leading a team is not easy. There are always some challenges that make you frustrated. This is the type of question that will be asked by the interviewer. To answer these kinds of team leader interview questions, don’t focus only on the challenge, but also on how you solve it. With that answer, the interviewer will look at you as a solution-oriented person and a problem-solver.
4. How do you motivate your team?
Giving motivation is a big part of being a team leader. This question wants to see how you can give constant support to the team so that they will perform maximally. For the answer, make sure you know what things that motivate your team members individually first. After that, give them motivation and understanding so they are on board to achieve both individual and collective goals.
5. What will you have to do to become a better leader?
Among the team leader interview questions you may encounter is about how you can be a better leader. You can answer this question by sharing your journey to become a leader and your plan ahead. There are many options that you can consider to answer this question, such as brainstorming with the seniors, participating in relevant seminars, or asking for feedback from team members.
Preparing for team leader interview questions with the CCM
Practising team leader interview questions is one of the ways to prepare yourself to fill this position. You expect to know the details about team leaders in general, starting with their qualities, their responsibilities, and also the possible questions that appear. If you’re planning to fill this role, that’s the path you should take.
However, preparing team leader interview questions is not enough. To help you become a great leader, the College of Contract Management offers valuable and relevant online courses. All courses at the College incorporate a practical approach designed to help you thrive in the real world. Don’t waste these opportunities. Get started now and be the leader you dream of.
