Prepare for leadership skills competency questions with examples and STAR answers. Learn what interviewers assess and how to demonstrate leadership effectively.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Fri 9th January 2026
Leadership skills competency questions form the backbone of modern selection processes, designed to assess whether candidates can actually lead rather than merely claim they can. These behavioural questions ask candidates to describe specific situations where they demonstrated leadership capabilities—providing evidence of past performance as the best predictor of future effectiveness. Understanding what these questions assess, and how to answer them compellingly, distinguishes candidates who succeed in leadership selection from those whose genuine capability goes unrecognised.
What makes competency questions challenging is their demand for specificity. Vague claims of leadership ability fall flat; interviewers want concrete examples demonstrating particular behaviours. The STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) provides structure for responses, but compelling answers require more than formula—they demand genuine reflection on leadership experiences and articulate connection between past actions and the capabilities being assessed.
Competency questions assess specific leadership capabilities through evidence of past behaviour.
Leadership competency questions are behavioural interview questions that ask candidates to describe specific situations where they demonstrated leadership skills. They typically begin with phrases like "Tell me about a time when..." or "Describe a situation where..." These questions assess how candidates have actually behaved rather than how they might behave, providing evidence-based evaluation of leadership capability.
Competency question characteristics:
| Characteristic | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Behavioural focus | Past actions, not hypotheticals | "Tell me about a time..." |
| Specific examples | Concrete situations required | "Describe a specific situation..." |
| Evidence-based | Observable actions evaluated | "What did you actually do?" |
| Skill-targeted | Assesses particular competencies | "How did you motivate the team?" |
| Outcome-oriented | Results matter | "What was the outcome?" |
Organisations use competency questions because past behaviour predicts future performance more reliably than self-reported traits or hypothetical responses. Research consistently demonstrates that structured behavioural interviews outperform unstructured interviews in predicting job success. Competency questions provide standardised evaluation criteria, enabling fair comparison across candidates.
Benefits of competency questions:
Competency questions target specific leadership capabilities.
Common leadership competencies assessed include: leading others (motivating and developing teams), decision-making (sound judgement under pressure), communication (clarity and influence), change leadership (navigating transitions), strategic thinking (long-term perspective), results delivery (achieving outcomes), and stakeholder management (building relationships). Different roles emphasise different competencies based on requirements.
Core leadership competencies:
| Competency | What's Assessed | Question Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Leading others | Motivating, developing teams | Team leadership situations |
| Decision-making | Judgement under pressure | Difficult decisions made |
| Communication | Clarity, influence, impact | Communication challenges |
| Change leadership | Guiding transitions | Change situations led |
| Strategic thinking | Long-term perspective | Strategic contributions |
| Results delivery | Achieving outcomes | Goals achieved |
| Stakeholder management | Building relationships | Relationship navigation |
Competency weighting varies by role level and function. First-line leadership roles emphasise team leadership, communication, and results delivery. Middle management roles add stakeholder management and change leadership. Senior roles prioritise strategic thinking and organisational influence. Understanding role-specific weighting enables targeted preparation.
Competency weighting by level:
| Level | Primary Competencies | Secondary Competencies |
|---|---|---|
| First-line | Team leadership, communication, results | Decision-making, development |
| Middle management | Stakeholder management, change leadership | Strategy contribution, influence |
| Senior leadership | Strategic thinking, organisational impact | External relationships, vision |
Specific questions address particular leadership capabilities.
Team leadership questions assess ability to motivate, direct, and develop team members. These questions explore how candidates create team environments, handle team challenges, and achieve results through others.
Team leadership questions:
Decision-making questions assess judgement, analytical capability, and willingness to take responsibility for choices. These questions often focus on difficult decisions where information was incomplete or stakes were high.
Decision-making questions:
Communication questions assess clarity, adaptation to audience, and ability to influence without relying solely on authority. These questions explore how candidates convey information and move others to action.
Communication and influence questions:
STAR provides structure for compelling competency responses.
Structure competency answers using the STAR framework: Situation (context and background), Task (your specific responsibility), Action (what you did and why), and Result (outcomes achieved and lessons learned). This structure ensures answers are specific, focused on your contribution, and demonstrate impact.
STAR framework breakdown:
| Element | Content | Proportion | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Situation | Context and background | 10-15% | Set the scene |
| Task | Your specific responsibility | 10-15% | Clarify your role |
| Action | What you did and why | 60-70% | Demonstrate competency |
| Result | Outcomes and learning | 10-15% | Show impact |
Effective STAR answers are: specific (concrete details, not generalities), personal (your actions, not the team's), action-focused (what you did, not what happened), reflective (demonstrating learning), and relevant (matched to the competency being assessed). Weak answers fail through vagueness, team-focus, or disconnection from the question.
Effective answer characteristics:
Preparation enables confident, compelling responses.
Prepare by: identifying core competencies for your target role, selecting strong examples from your experience, structuring using STAR before the interview, practising delivery aloud, and preparing variations for follow-up questions. Preparation transforms interview anxiety into confident competence.
Preparation process:
Prepare 6-8 strong examples that can flex across multiple competencies. Most competency interviews cover 4-6 competencies; having additional examples provides flexibility when questions don't match prepared responses exactly. Each example should potentially address 2-3 competencies, enabling efficient preparation.
Example coverage strategy:
| Example Type | Competencies Covered |
|---|---|
| Team challenge | Leading others, communication, decision-making |
| Change initiative | Change leadership, influence, stakeholder management |
| Difficult decision | Decision-making, integrity, results delivery |
| Development situation | Leading others, coaching, communication |
| Conflict resolution | Communication, leading others, decision-making |
| Strategic contribution | Strategic thinking, influence, stakeholder management |
Avoiding common errors improves competency performance.
Common mistakes include: being too vague (no specific details), using "we" instead of "I" (obscuring personal contribution), focusing on situation not action (storytelling without competency evidence), failing to state results (no demonstrated impact), choosing poor examples (situations that don't showcase leadership), and not answering the question (tangents that miss the competency).
Common competency mistakes:
| Mistake | Problem | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Vagueness | No evidence of competency | Include specific details |
| "We" focus | Personal contribution unclear | Use "I" and specify your actions |
| Situation emphasis | Story without competency demonstration | Emphasise what you did |
| Missing results | No impact demonstrated | State outcomes specifically |
| Poor example choice | Doesn't showcase leadership | Select more relevant situations |
| Missing the question | Answers different competency | Listen carefully, answer what's asked |
When you lack a perfect example, options include: adapting a related example (explaining transferable elements), using partial examples (honest about scope), drawing from different contexts (non-work situations for early-career candidates), or acknowledging limitation whilst demonstrating relevant approach. Fabricating examples creates risk of exposure and undermines credibility.
Handling imperfect fit:
Leadership competency questions are behavioural interview questions asking candidates to describe specific situations where they demonstrated leadership skills. They begin with phrases like "Tell me about a time when..." and assess past behaviour as evidence of capability. These questions evaluate how candidates have actually led rather than how they claim they would lead.
Answer using the STAR framework: Situation (brief context), Task (your specific responsibility), Action (what you did and why—the majority of your answer), and Result (outcomes achieved). Be specific about your personal contribution, provide concrete details, and connect your answer to the competency being assessed.
Common assessed competencies include leading others (motivating teams), decision-making (sound judgement), communication (clarity and influence), change leadership (navigating transitions), strategic thinking (long-term perspective), results delivery (achieving outcomes), and stakeholder management (building relationships). Role requirements determine which competencies are emphasised.
Prepare 6-8 strong examples that can flex across multiple competencies. Each example should potentially address 2-3 competencies, providing coverage for the 4-6 competencies typically assessed in interviews. Having extra examples provides flexibility when questions don't match exactly.
Avoid being too vague (include specific details), using "we" instead of "I" (clarify your personal contribution), focusing on situation not action (emphasise what you did), failing to state results (demonstrate impact), and choosing examples that don't showcase the competency being assessed.
Competency answers typically should be 2-3 minutes—long enough to cover STAR elements meaningfully, short enough to maintain interviewer engagement. Front-load the most important content; interviewers will ask follow-up questions if they want more detail. Practice timing to ensure answers are appropriately paced.
If lacking a perfect example, adapt a related experience whilst explaining its relevance, use partial examples honestly, draw from non-work contexts where appropriate, or acknowledge the limitation whilst describing your approach. Never fabricate examples—inconsistencies often emerge under follow-up questioning.
Leadership skills competency questions assess actual capability through evidence of past behaviour—demanding specific examples that demonstrate particular leadership skills. The STAR framework provides structure for compelling responses: brief situation and task context, detailed action description showing your personal contribution, and results demonstrating impact. Thorough preparation transforms interview anxiety into confident competence.
Audit your leadership experience against common competencies: team leadership, decision-making, communication, change leadership, strategic thinking, stakeholder management. Select your strongest examples—situations where your leadership made clear difference. Structure these using STAR, practise delivery until responses feel natural, and prepare for follow-up questions that probe deeper.
Remember that competency interviews assess evidence, not claims. Your answers must provide concrete proof of leadership capability through specific situations, personal actions, and demonstrable outcomes. Preparation that develops this evidence base—and practises articulating it clearly—creates the foundation for interview success that leads to leadership opportunity.