What do you do if your leadership style is not effectively communicated in an interview?

Elon Musk provides us with a cautionary example of what not to do in leadership. His erratic behavior on social media, including controversial tweets and public disputes, has raised concerns about his leadership style. Despite his vision, his tendency for bold statements often overshadows accomplishments, leading to questions about his temperament and decision-making. This underscores the importance of CEOs balancing authenticity with professionalism in communication. While vulnerability can humanize leaders, maintaining composure is crucial for inspiring stakeholder confidence. By learning from Musk's missteps, CEOs can convey their vision effectively, fostering trust within their organizations.

If you find that your leadership style isn't effectively communicated during an interview, the first step is to ensure you have a clear understanding of your leadership style. Take some time to reflect on your approach to leadership, identifying key principles, values, and methods you adhere to. Once you're clear on your leadership style, prepare real-life examples from your experiences that showcase how you've applied your leadership style effectively. These examples could be from various situations such as leading a team project, resolving conflicts, or motivating team members. During interviews, don't hesitate to share these examples when discussing questions related to leadership.

Take some time to reflect on your leadership style and identify its key attributes. Consider your strengths, weaknesses, values, and approach to leading others. Understanding your leadership style will help you articulate it more clearly during interviews.

If your leads are not well-directed during the interview, it’s important to think about why that might be. Consider using a specific example or anecdote to illustrate your point. Focus on key qualities such as communication, flexibility, and team control. Again, listen hard to the interviewer’s answers and adjust your answers accordingly. Communicate your leadership philosophy early to ensure clarity and confidence in your presentation. Finally, make sure you all understand and ask for clarification if necessary.

In preparation for a leadership position interview, you should prepare to showcase your leadership style in response to interview questions of any type. Do not wait to be asked, "What is your leadership style?" Knowing the organization and its established mission, vision, and values is a great place to start. Identify how your leadership style complements their mission, vision, and values, but also provide examples of how you have been able to adapt your style when necessary in other positions. This will showcase how you can help the organization navigate potential challenges in the future.

Be authentic and genuine in your communication. Don't try to portray yourself as someone you're not. Instead, be honest about your leadership style, strengths, and areas for growth. Authenticity builds trust and credibility with interviewers. Practice active listening during the interview to ensure you understand the questions being asked and can tailor your responses accordingly. Pay attention to the interviewer's cues and feedback, and adjust your communication as needed to ensure clarity and alignment.

The STAR method is highly effective for articulating your leadership capabilities in interviews. By framing your experiences within the context of Situation, Task, Action, and Result, you can demonstrate how your leadership directly influenced outcomes. For example, describing a situation where you guided a team through change allows you to clearly showcase the steps you took and the impact of your leadership. This structured approach ensures your answers are both comprehensive and easy to understand.

Be prepared to ask questions and learn more about the organization, the role you are interviewing for, and the expectations of the current leadership team. Remember, this is YOUR interview and your opportunity to showcase what you will bring to the organization. Asking relevant but curious questions indicates your level of commitment. Asking thoughtful questions and listening intently to responses will help you tune your responses to better connect with the interviewer and increase your chances of being presented an offer.

If you're unsure whether your leadership style is coming across effectively, don't hesitate to ask the interviewer for examples or clarification. Seek feedback on how your responses are being received and adjust accordingly. After the interview, consider following up with the interviewer to reinforce your leadership style and express your continued interest in the position. Use this opportunity to further clarify any points or provide additional examples of your leadership capabilities.