How to answer what kind of manager are you

Here are a few examples of how to answer questions about your ideal boss. Use them as models as you create your own replies as you practice for your interview. My ideal boss would encourage clear communication between herself and her employees. I believe that communication—in person, as well as via phone and email—is critical to a successful relationship between an employer and employee. I've worked under employers with a variety of management styles.

I've had some employers who encourage lots of independent work, and others who prefer to give clear, specific instructions. I thrive in both environments. I work very well independently, but also know when to ask questions. Why It Works: This candidate demonstrates how she can adapt to different management styles, even though she prefers to work independently. I value an employer who communicates clearly with his employees.

I'm a strong written and oral communicator and I appreciate employers who value those skills. In the past, I have had some employers who have been less than clear in conveying their ideas and directions. Although I work very well independently and I don't require excessive supervision, I do appreciate employers who speak clearly to employees. Why It Works : Here the interviewee takes the high road, dodging the temptation to criticize a previous employer.

Never Criticize a Past Supervisor. Your prospective employer will probably assume that you're a difficult employee if you offer up a list of complaints, no matter how well-earned they might be.

You don't want this. Even when an interviewer asks you to describe your least favorite boss, focus on how you were still successful in this environment and emphasize what you look for in a manager rather than the qualities you dislike. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Being able to prioritize and focus on the tasks at hand is a great formula for success.

A good manager can prioritize the most important projects and get their team to focus on these projects. Empathy and warmth.

No one wants to work with robots. Managers should lead their employees and guide them with understanding. Everyone goes through tough times that can make it hard to get work done. Out of all the qualities that make a great manager, honesty is arguably the most important.

The best managers will tell their employees what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear. The truth can hurt, but giving honest feedback is the only way your team will succeed. Being a good manager means more than just getting the job done.

Good managers are accountable, work to achieve their own goals, and take responsibility when things go wrong. Creating an atmosphere of accountability will help others appreciate the importance of taking responsibility for their actions. Decision making and flexibility. The best managers are able to make big decisions that get the best results from their team. Good managers should know how to think quickly and adjust their methods to each employee, instead of expecting every person to respond to the same style of management.

Our AI resume builder helps you write a compelling and relevant resume for the jobs you want. The autocratic or directive manager.

This manager expects immediate obedience from employees and expects people to do exactly as they say. They closely control employees and motivate with threats and discipline. This type of management is effective when dealing with a crisis. The consultative or authoritative manager. This style aims to give employees long-term direction and goals. This manager is firm but fair. They make decisions with the best interests of their employees in mind, but also focus on the business.

They motivate their employees with feedback on their performance. The persuasive manager. This manager makes choices based on the benefits of the results, and they have the final decision making power. This is a good option for managers who need input from experts, but still want to have the ability to make big decisions.

The democratic or participative manager. This management style seeks to build commitment and unity among employees.

With this style, everyone has input and is encouraged to help with decision making. The democratic style of management motivates people by rewarding team effort. The coaching manager. This style aims to give their employees long-term professional development. This manager helps employees to develop their strengths and improve their performance, and motivates by providing opportunities for professional development.

Did they make you feel motivated and encouraged to produce effective work? If they did, you may decide to use that as the management style of your choice. If you had managers who were less successful in motivating you, analyze the qualities they had that caused you to feel less positive and passionate about your position. You can apply qualities that are the opposite of what they used in their management style. Once you've assessed the qualities your managers had, you can think about the skills you currently have that make you a good manager.

If you've worked in previous leadership positions and gained skills or knowledge that may help your employees succeed, you can use those to describe what makes you a good manager. List these qualities in your head before or during the interview and try to mention them when answering this question. Before describing your management style, you can briefly explain what qualities you believe a good manager holds.

This can help employers understand what management skills you think are beneficial and inform them that these are the skills you have as a manager. Once you have defined what a good manager is, you can discuss what your management style is and how you apply these skills to your management style.

Now you can talk about the specific management style you believe you possess. Common management styles you can mention in your interview include:. This management style involves pushing employees to achieve their maximum potential. Managers using this style are constantly encouraging their employees to build upon their skills and develop new ones. They are constantly innovating and solving any employee problems to help them achieve.

Visionary leaders develop a vision for their employees to follow and encourage them to meet the goals of that vision.

Once they communicate these goals, they let their team accomplish these tasks on their own. They will often monitor and check in on employees to answer any questions or provide additional guidance if needed. These managers understand and value the ideas of their employees. They often allow their team members to have a strong voice when making important decisions in the department to ensure the employees that their opinions are valuable.

This also encourages the team to work harder on projects as they have a voice in choosing the overall goal they are working toward. Also referred to as servant leadership, this management style relies on encouraging, motivating and supporting team members. These managers often put their employees and their needs before projects or tasks.

They work to build a relationship with employees which can motivate them to deliver valuable results. Laissez-faire managers let their employees make a majority of their own decisions and allow them to work on projects with little to no supervision. These managers often believe their employees work best individually and will assist if it's requested. After describing the management style you have, you can briefly explain an instance where you used this management style with an employee.

This helps give employers more of an idea of when you have applied these styles and if the outcome was positive. It also allows them to better picture you applying these management styles toward their own employees. You can describe this using one or two sentences and expand upon the story if the interviewer requests additional information.