When prompted with the question, “What is your leadership style?” in an interview, an intimidating question can arise; leadership style is an expression of how one manages, guides, and motivates others in the workplace. If you can confidently articulate how you would describe your leadership style, you can differentiate yourself from others and demonstrate self-awareness and suitability for the role.

Though most candidates know what they want to say about their leadership style, what they say is often generic and doesn’t land well with interviewers. Interviewers want to show how you work in a leadership capacity, especially regarding ruling teams, making decisions, and solving problems. In this article, we walk you through identifying your leadership style, describing it, and how to give a polished and solid answer in an interview.

Introduction

Leadership styles differ significantly, and there cannot be a single method. An excellent leader can identify the best approach for the given situation. Whether you are managing a team of software engineers, marketing professionals, or a team of designers, your leadership style will markedly impact the success you achieve.

Understanding your leadership style will be crucial to your personal development and growth. When interviewers ask, “What is your leadership style?” they are probably trying to gauge how good a worker you would make in their environment. They are not testing you on your knowledge of leadership theories; instead, they wish to probe how you address solutions and interact with others in real-life situations.

But how does one find their leadership style? And how do you express it confidently at an interview? These are the critical questions this article addresses. In it, we will explore the various leadership styles, how to identify your own style, and how to implement a winning response in an interview.

Why This Question Matters in Interviews

The one question commonly asked during interviews, especially for jobs that entail management, leadership, or team-building skills, is, “What is your leadership style?” This question gives the interviewer a deeper understanding of how you lead other people and how you might fit into their culture. For an employer, leadership is not just about authority—it involves inspiring teams, making decisions under pressure, and effectively accomplishing objectives.

Leadership traits can be demonstrated as observable characteristics; however, one key thing you have to realize is that it is important to be self-aware. If you know your way of leading others, whether through working with them, inspiring them, or just delegating, you will know how to tailor your answer to the company’s values and expectations. Good leaders recognize the strengths and weaknesses of their people and teams, assess different dynamics and situations, and apply different approaches.

It is by giving a somewhat confident response to this question that one becomes an example of emotional intelligence (EI) in leadership. Emotional intelligence (EI) in leadership is the ability to be conscious of and to have control over one’s emotions, as well as to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. It is an excellent trait to have in leaders today.

How to Identify and Describe Your Leadership Style

To answer this question effectively, you must first understand your leadership style. There are several recognized leadership styles, and your approach may align with one or more of these categories. While some people exhibit one dominant leadership style, others may demonstrate a blend of different styles, depending on the situation or team dynamic.

Here are the most common leadership styles and some traits that define them:

• Autocratic Leadership: The leader of an autocratic type is highly directive, involving decisions made alone without consultation. The instructions should be clear, and team members are expected to follow them exactly as stated. It lends itself to cases where there is a pressing need for quick decisions, while conversely, it can shut off creativity and teamwork.
  
  Example: “I use an autocratic style when I need to make fast decisions or during a crisis. For example, in a fast-paced software release, I might take the lead to ensure that deadlines are met and the team stays focused.”
  
• Democratic Leadership: The democratic leadership promotes collaboration and interaction among team members. This process enhances the feelings of ownership and engagement within the team, eventually improving morale and stimulating creative, broad-based problem-solving. It may be said that democratic leaders really want to hear what everybody else has to say before they make their decisions, and that they tend to base their decisions on the collective ideas of others.
  
  Example: “I lean towards a democratic leadership style, where I involve my team in decision-making. For instance, when I led a user interface redesign, I organized brainstorming sessions to gather insights from all team members. I combined their feedback to develop the final product.”
  
• Transformational Leadership: Transformational leaders emphasize inspiring and motivating their teams. These leaders need to impart to their teams a sense of mission and passion and encourage innovation and self-improvement. Typically, leaders are said to be transformational when initiating change with the intention of driving their team to attain their full potential.
  
  Example: “I consider most of my leadership occasions transformational, especially when motivating a team to deliver beyond expectations. During a large project, I motivated my team by helping them see the big picture while at the same time encouraging them to come up with innovative solutions.”
  
• Laissez-Faire Leadership: Under laissez-faire leadership, team members make most decisions independently and take responsibility for completing tasks. If the team is experienced and highly self-motivated, the approach can work well; however, it can go wrong if team members find it hard to orient themselves or require more direction on “how to make it.”
  
  Example: “I generally tend to give a laissez-faire leadership style when I trust my team to do their work independently. When managing senior developers, for instance, I give them the leeway to make decisions, and I step in only if roadblocks are needing my support.”
  
• Servant Leadership: Servant leaders focus on the needs of the team members. They seek to empower others, remove roadblocks along the way, and offer support for the team’s success. This style emphasizes cooperation and humility in serving others as they meet their needs.
  
  For example: “I believe in servant leadership, where my main concern is the well-being and success of my team. For instance, if a team member needs help managing work assignments, I would guide them and get them resources so they can grow and succeed.”
  

So, after figuring out your primary leadership style (or combination of styles), think about how you would express that in an interview. Don’t just state your style in general terms; give concrete examples from your past experiences so interviewers understand how you lead.”

Example Responses for Tech Professionals

When responding to the question about your leadership style, providing relevant examples from your experience is crucial, especially for professionals in technical fields. Here are a few examples tailored to tech professionals:

• Autocratic: “High-stakes projects call for quick decisions. During a tight deadline for a client deliverable, I took the lead and delegated tasks to various members to ensure deadlines would be met.”
• Democratic: “I lean toward democratic leadership in a collaborative tech team. While developing a new feature in an app, I encourage input from the developers, designers, and even the product managers so that the solution delivered truly addresses everyone’s needs.”
• Transformational: “I usually transform by inspiring teams to push limits and innovate. Concerning an intensive software upgrade, I pushed the team to look into new technology and approaches to creatively solving old problems, which eventually led to better processes.”

Mistakes to Avoid When Talking About Leadership

While it’s essential to be clear and confident when discussing your leadership style, it’s just as necessary to avoid inevitable mistakes that can negatively impact your response:

• Being Too Vague: Give specific examples when asked about your leadership style. Do not say, “I adapt my style to the situation.” Adaptability is a good trait, but the interviewers want something more challenging to grasp. Give more concrete details.
• Overemphasizing One Style: While having a primary leadership style is good, flexibility always trumps rigidity. Explain how flexible your style is according to the situation and requirements of the team. Being rigid about a particular style would send the message that you do not have the skills to suit yourself to different circumstances.
• Neglecting the Team: Leadership is not about how you influence, interact with, and work alongside others. So don’t focus solely on your traits. Instead, highlight how your leadership style allows your team to prosper and grow.
• Appearing Arrogant: Confidence plus humility is essential. Do not sound like you already have all the answers, and you will not entertain suggestions from anyone. A great leader values every input and is willing to learn and grow.

Conclusion

In the interview, when asked, “What is your leadership style?” ensure that the interviewers are enlightened about what sort of leader you are, and the very nature of your leadership style as applied in actual situations. Leadership is about guiding and motivating others to maximize their potential toward achieving organizational objectives. Suppose you can clearly and confidently state your leadership style. In that case, interviewers will not only be able to understand your team management approach, but they will also realize that you are the kind of leader who can help to further the company’s success.

Understanding and communicating your leadership style while steering clear of the most common mistakes will help you come across as sincere, capable, and confident. Remember, your leadership style is not merely a set of qualities you possess; it is a dynamic approach that might change according to the needs of the team and organization. Exhibit your flexibility, self-awareness, and ability to lead with impact for good measure.