Interviewing a Manager About Their Management and Leadership Style

Interview Memo
Name
Institution
Course
Professor
Date
Interview Questions
Do you have a clear vision? YES
Have you made your vision clear to your group? YES
Are you willing to take calculated risks? YES
Do you listen to your subordinates? YES
Are you comfortable addressing the public? YES
Do you have the required negotiation skills? YES
Do you have a management style? YES
Are you aware of the changing trends in management styles? YES
Are you willing to try a management style other than yours? YES
Would you delegate work to your subordinates? YES
Would you create opportunities for growth for your subordinates? YES
Do you see yourself as a go-to person in times of crisis? YES
Do you advocate for your subordinates’ needs? YES
Do you embrace humor when addressing your subordinates? YES
Personal Interview Experience
Getting a manager to interview was a tricky affair. I tried various leaders in different local companies whose schedules seemed occupied and could not spare time for an interview. It was hard to get the time to sit down with the manager I finally settled on as he had a busy schedule. However, we agreed to use Google Meets to reduce travel expenses as his company is based in a different city from mine. My success in getting the interview opportunity is attributable to a friend who works in the same firm that connected us. It was good that the manager was aware of the current communication technologies, and there was no challenge introducing the idea to him. I had tension initially as I did not know what to expect. However, I realized that the manager was easy to talk to as he was friendly.
The Meeting
I identified 18 (eighteen) questions to ask the manager. However, I narrowed it down to 14 (fourteen), which I thought would be most relevant, because they required direct “YES/NO” answers as envisioned in Heifetz et al. (2009). The reason for narrowing the questionnaire was to reduce the time spent as it was the working time the manager spared for the interview. I introduced myself and assured him that I woul...