You're leading an advertising team interview. How can you demonstrate your leadership prowess effectively?

When you start the interview, clearly outline the format, set clear expectations, and then say little. You gain more data and establish credibility and presence by listening more than talking. Take notes. Read body language. When the time is right, ask questions or introduce a question from someone else on the panel, as this can further the discussion and gather more information. Leadership comes from listening and taking in as much data as possible.

I make sure that I communicate effectively what the team expects of the individual chosen to fill the vacancy. I also want a fairly detailed response to the question; What do you expect of the position?

Structured approach: Guide the interview with a clear agenda and ensure everyone on the team gets a chance to participate. Active listening: Pay close attention to the candidate's responses and ask follow-up questions to delve deeper. Facilitate discussion: Encourage healthy debate on advertising challenges and explore different perspectives within your team. Highlight strengths: Afterward, discuss the candidate's potential fit with the team and highlight their strengths you noticed during the interview.

Showcase Experience: Highlight key leadership roles and successful campaigns. Articulate Vision: Share your vision for the team and strategy. Emphasize Collaboration: Discuss how you foster teamwork and manage diverse viewpoints. Problem-Solving: Provide examples of overcoming challenges and turning setbacks into successes. Highlight Results: Use metrics and outcomes to show your impact. Engage the Team: Invite questions and input to show openness. Adaptability: Demonstrate your ability to adjust to industry changes. Mentorship: Talk about developing and supporting team members.

Active listening is the cornerstone of any conversation that is expected to be mutually beneficial to both parties during the due diligence period. Demonstrating value and respect on both sides is very important.

Share recent success stories made possible by collaboration and inclusion. Ensure that the candidate is fully cognizant of the importance of collaboration for the success of the group, possibly even have team members make their stories heard.

Bring confidence but humility. Leading a team is a skill all its own that you don't earn just by being good at Advertising. All too often that happens, but there's a skillset to leadership that you need to prioritize learning, and with that comes walking the walk. As the leader you set the tone for your team so if you're insecure or you're ego-driven and boastful, the culture of that will be evident in your interviews and in your team's behavior. Don't just "talk the talk" and expect others to listen. You need to "walk the walk" because people follow your example when you lead this way. If you want someone who's detail-oriented, show them how detail-oriented you and your team are in the interview, etc.

To demonstrate leadership prowess in an advertising team interview, emphasize your ability to drive results through collaboration and innovation,referencing the success of Indian campaigns like Tanishq's "Ekatvam" which boosted brand affinity by 15% despite initial backlash.Highlight your strategic vision and adaptability by sharing how you integrated emerging trends like digital transformation and data analytics into traditional practices, exemplified by Swiggy's data-driven campaigns that increased customer engagement by 40%.Showcase your commitment to nurturing talent by discussing mentorship programs you've led, inspired by WPP's extensive training initiatives in India that have significantly enhanced employee performance and retention.