Describe a friend who you think is a good leader You should say:
Who is he/ she
How you met him/her
Do people behave differently when he/she is around? And explain why you think he/she can be a good leader.
Sample Answer:
Let me tell you about one of my close friends who worked with me in the same company several years ago. Actually it was he who had an interview with me when I applied for a position in that company after I graduated from university, we had a nice talk and he was obviously satisfied with my related experience.
He was really an optimistic and infectious man with his work, therefore when he started to be responsible for the new business, some colleagues were very interesting in his plan and tasks, and were always likely to offer their help. Besides, his superior was quite confident of his success, and gave some necessary financial and human supports.
I had been working with him for over two years. I believe he was really good at encouraging his staff into doing something that seemed to be tough to realize and inspiring them to greatness. As our business was quite new in the market, he made us feeling like pioneers in this field, which definitely inspired my enthusiasm tremendously. It was really a cool thing, because to be honest, I learned the most things in my work during that time.
Follow-up questions:
- How do you see a leader now and in the future?
I personally don’t think there would be much difference between leaders now and sometime in the future for their core values are much likely to be the same. By this, I mean most true leaders tend to operate on similar principles such as innovation, integrity, positivity and so on. Not all these characteristics would be acquired or presented by all leaders but some of them would. Hence, in spite of living in different times, leaders would still be those with some particular admirable traits that are distinguishable. - Do you think there will be changes?
Well, changes are inevitable since they are the causes of any advancement. Therefore, it’s not surprising that there might be some alterations in leadership style and their effects. If we trace back history, the differences are noticeable. Many emperors or royal governors in ancient time ruled their kingdom by inflicting fear and pain on their people, which flatly contradicts how leaders conquer others’ minds and hearts nowadays. Modern leaders no longer impose anything on anyone but inspire them with their vision and yearning for a better life. - How does leadership apply to children at school?
Leadership is not only adults’ realm but people of all ages can practice it, including children. Most are not natural-born leaders, instead, they are likely to go through painstaking processes to attain certain skills since they were young. For example, kids with a leadership mindset probably stand out for their initiation, persistence and optimism. If they take part in group activities, potential leaders are usually those who take on team leader roles and enthusiastically enjoy the game as well as encourage others to do the same. - What do you think are the qualities of a good leader (or, a good decision maker)?
Option 1: Out of the many qualities that a leader should have, I believe being a good listener and a responsible person are the two essential factors. Firstly, a leader must be willing to listen to opposing views, weigh the pros and cons of each option and never impose their thinking on others. Secondly, as he is the person who leads the whole team, a sense of responsibility can give other team members a feeling of security and trust. This can motivate the whole team to focus on accomplishing the tasks despite some potential hurdles.
Option 2: The definition of an ideal leader varies from people to people for good reasons, I suppose. As far as I’m concerned, a leader who is a true influencer and would leave great impacts on his people is someone who is a man of his word, knowledgeable and inspiring with a visionary mindset. It’s an undeniable truth that neither an organization nor any person wants to be led by those who are pretentious and lack of capacity and vision. We all need those who take actions and are ahead of their time to guide us to a better place.
Option 3: I believe honesty is the most important thing that is required out of a leader. It is very important for a leader to be able to put down the real situation in front of the team mates so that the situation can be dealt as a team. Also, communication, commitment and confidence are the three C’s required out of a leader. And in the end, the patience and the will power to be able to look ahead with great positivity, to endure failures is what is required of a leader. - What characteristics does a bad leader have?
I believe manipulation is that one thing that a bad leader possess. Anyone who tries to manipulate the people or try telling lies, just to hide is surely a bad leader because he or she cannot or does not have the strength to face the consequences of a bad decision. - Do you think it’s important for parents to encourage the development of leadership abilities in their children? (Why? /Why not?)
I think it is unnecessary to stimulate a sense of leadership in the children. The reason I feel this way is that some kids end up becoming aggressive people and just impose their way of thinking on others without trying to be a good listener. Instead, what parents can help is to educate their children to be a morally correct individual first. Otherwise, they can accidentally turn their children into a bad guy in the future. - If you were the leader of your school, what changes would you make?
If I was the leader of the school, I think there are only a few things that I would like to change. One of them is punishment. I know that punishment is a great way to teach people, but then I also believe that a little award is never a bad things. So, if one sees a person getting punishment daily, it might be possible that he or she needs counselling and not just another punishment.
Also, there should be more Parent teachers meet. So, that parents and teachers can remain connected throughout, not just when the results come out. - Why do some people think it’s a bad thing to always follow other people?
I think it must be mostly because leaders come along with the image that says that these are the most powerful people, that they can bring out change, and it is often so larger than life that people think that anyone who is not a leader is not a great person to be. However, people often forget that it is not the power that makes a leader great, but the person himself that makes use of power great. - In what ways can parents encourage their children to develop leadership abilities?
As I have just mentioned, the task of stimulating a sense of leadership is not really necessary. At this age, they should be educated to be a morally sound correct individuals as well as building their knowledge base. As long as this step is done, teaching them leadership qualities can be taken into consideration