The table below lists the main leadership traits and skills identified by Stogdill in

1974.

Traits
- Adaptable to situations
- Alert to social environment
- Ambitious and achievement-orientated
- Assertive
- Cooperative
- Decisive
- Dependable
- Dominant (desire to influence others)
- Energetic (high activity level)
- Persistent
- Self-confident
- Tolerant of stress
- Willing to assume responsibility

Skills
- Clever (intelligent)
- Conceptually skilled
- Creative
- Diplomatic and tactful
- Fluent in speaking
- Knowledgeable about group task
- Organised (administrative ability)
- Persuasive
- Socially skilled

The 6 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Day to be a Leader

1. Impact – What have I recognised in someone else’s leadership today?

2. Continuous Improvement – What have I done to make it more likely I will
learn something?
 3. Mentorship – What have I done to make it more likely someone else will
learn something?
4. Empowerment – What positive thing have I said about someone to their
face today?
5. Recognition – What positive thing have I said about someone who isn’t in
the room?
6. Self-respect – How have I been good to myself today?

Idea 1: ‘Tallest Tower’ (from Stepshift, 2016)

Participants are provided with everyday items such as toothpicks, wooden blocks,
uncooked pasta and so on. The task is to build the tallest possible free-standing
structure from the materials provided. This activity is designed to encourage
creative problem-solving and developing collaboration skills.

There are three different ‘leadership styles’. These are: autocratic (also known as
authoritarian), delegative (also called ‘free reign)’ and democratic (which is also
called participative) (Clark, 2015; Johnson-Gerard, 2017).
An autocratic leader makes decisions without first consulting others, while a
delegative leader allows the staff to make the decisions (Johnson-Gerard, 2017).
Finally, a democratic leader consults with the staff in making workplace decisions
(Johnson-Gerard, 2017).
1. Laissez-faire leadership. : The term “laissez-faire” is a French phrase
meaning “leave it be.”
2. Transactional leadership. : This style of leadership is based on a simple
premise: that people are motivated by reward and punishment. It also
assumes that systems work best with a clear chain of command.
3. Transformational leadership : He or she inspires a team with a shared vision
of the future. Transformational leaders are highly visible, and spend a lot of
time communicating. They don’t necessarily lead
from the front, as they tend to delegate responsibility amongst their team.
And while their enthusiasm is often infectious, they can often need to be
supported by “details people”
 Stepping Into The Shoes Of Your Manager

One of the leading leadership development programs and workshops, Stepping

Into The Shoes Of Your Manager, involves taking up multiple personas (of strong
leaders) and listing down behaviors appropriate for a manager in that particular
situation.

Inappropriate behavior is also noted. Participants are then given time to reflect on
their list and make changes following which the lists are exchanged.
Subsequently, the participants formulate a list of behaviors that they consider
appropriate for managers and (senior) leaders.

This helps managers understand what employees expect from them and
understand the rationale behind their manager’s actions.

Leadership Canvas

Effective leaders are a culmination of their experience and skill.

This leadership workshop activity offers a self-assessment framework for

participants to identify the skills and leadership style they consider essential for
effective leadership and whether or not they possess the same.

This will help participants understand their shortcomings and to work towards
developing these leadership traits.

This activity is done best when there is a dialogue between the participants and
the managers. To achieve significant impact, try using an online whiteboard and
encourage comments if you’re conducting such a session for remote teams on a
virtual online platform.

During the initial discussion importance and primacy of leadership should be

highlighted. The concept of leader and manager should compared and contrasted.
It should be made clear that while categorization of leadership is based on what
leaders do or what they are capable of doing best, identification of leadership
styles is based on how leaders perform the tasks of:
(1) making decisions
(2) implementing decisions
- The tower building exercise, if properly conducted, can be a very powerful tool
to bring out participants’ leadership styles and even to compare their relative
merits and demerits. Two participants should be requested to volunteer to take
up the roles of leader and follower. They should be requested to come to the
front and shown the blocks with which they have to build a tower. They should
also be told that the “follower” will be blind folded and that she/he will be
allowed to use only one hand and will have to build the tower based on the
leader’s instructions. It should also be told that they should try to build as high a
tower as possible.
Before announcement of work, they should be asked to give their estimate of the
height of the tower they are going to build in terms of number of blocks. These
should be recorded. Care should be taken to note even minute details such as
whether the estimates given are based on mutual consultation or are individual
opinions.
After the briefing, the follower should be blindfolded and made to stand on one
side of the table on which the blocks are kept and the leader should be instructed
to
stand on the opposite side. Then they should proceed to construct the tower.
Even
minute aspects of the behaviour of the leader and follower should be observed
and
recorded, such as:
(1) leader’s behaviour at the beginning especially goal setting
(2) whether the leader tries to encourage, control and motivate the follower.
(3) Does the leader provide feedback to the follower? If yes, is it sufficient.
(4) How do they respond/react in case the tower collapses during the
construction.
(5) Leaders behaviour at Project completion.
After the team completes the tower construction there should be a guided
discussion on all aspects of the teams performance viz., goal setting, leadership
styles, communication, empathy etc
Games
The participants are made to assemble in a room and the trainer will introduce a
concept and ask the participants to mention this qualities or attributes of that
concept.
1. Leader – what are the qualities of leadership?
The members are encouraged to mention their own ideas regarding the concept.
After the identification of each quality all the participants are required to note it
down. In this manner a list of qualities/attributes will be prepared. Then each
participant is encouraged to rank the qualities on the basis of his/her evaluation.
Thus all the participants at this stage will be having a ranked list of qualities or
attributes of the concept introduced by the trainers. In the next stage the
participants are divided into two groups. Then each group is asked to make a
critical examination of the attributes and come out with a consensual ranking of
the attributes. So at the end of this stage the two groups will each have a
consensually ranked list of qualities or attributes. Then from each group 4
participants will be identified as Spokespersons and they will be seated in front,
others seated at their back side. The Spokespersons alone will speak others can of
course give ideas to their respective Spokespersons. Each group is then instructed
to enforce their ranking upon the other group without any sign of yielding. This is
meant to evoke heated arguments, discussions so on and so forth. Finally both
the groups will remain
sticking to their own list. In the next stage, the trainer will be selecting 4 other
persons from each group and they will be instructed to settle the problem. The
change in the attitude of
this group can be clearly identified. In the total game, when the participants are
making individual ranking of the listed attributes what they are experiencing is
intrapersonal conflict. This is what is being experienced by an officer in an
Organization while he is involved in the process of decision making. When the
participants were in the two groups with their own ranked list they were in a state
of intra group conflict. In the stage of heated discussion between the two groups,
the participants were experiencing intergroup conflict. In all these situations, the
existence interpersonal conflict can clearly be identified. After analysing the
results of the games, the participants should be provided with maximum
informations pertaining to the 4 different types of conflicts identified earlier.
Intra-Organizational Conflict
Four types of intra-organizational conflict exist: (1) vertical conflict (2)
horizontal conflict (3) line-staff conflict and (4) role conflict. Participants
should also be given informations regarding different aspects of these conflicts.

1. A Shrinking Vessel

Helps with: Adaptability

Why adaptability is important for problem-solving: Adaptability is highly

associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster,
according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are
happening faster than ever before. People, teams, and organizations that can
adapt will come out on top.

What you’ll need:

• A rope or string

Instructions:

1. Using the rope, make a shape on the floor everyone can fit into.

2. Slowly shrink the space over 10-15 minutes.

3. Work together to figure out how to keep everyone within the shrinking
boundaries.

What you’ll need (per team):

• 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti

• 1 roll of masking tape
• 1 yard of string
• 1 marshmallow

Stranded
Helps with: Communication, decision-making

Why communication is important for problem-solving: More employees work

remotely than ever before. Good communication skills are vital to solving
problems across virtual teams. Working on communication skills while your team
is together will help them solve problems more effectively when they’re apart.

What you’ll need:

• An office

Here's the setting: Your team has been stranded in the office. The doors are
locked, and knocking down the doors or breaking the windows is not an option.
Give your team 30 minutes to decide on ten items in the office they need for
survival and rank them in order of importance. The goal of the game is to have
everyone agree on the ten items and their rankings in 30 minutes.

Wool Webs

Divide your group into teams of equal numbers. Give each team a ball of yarn.
Instruct the teams to create a web using only the yarn. Once the teams have
finished (you may have to set an amount of time for completion), switch the
teams around so that every team has a web other than their own. Each team then
blindfolds one team member. The goal is for the blindfolded individual to unwind
the web following the verbal instruction of their teammates. In order to be
successful, team members must concentrate, and give/follow directions. The first
team that has dismantled the web wins this game.

How can Laura most effectively use both management and leadership skills in
her role as associate director? What combination of the two do you think would
work best in this setting?

A director could be both a leader and manager. However, given that the two
mangers are very capable and directly manage all the department staff, Laura
should focus on being a leader. She should delegate managerial responsibilities to
the two managers. This strategy will build the managers’ confidence, allowing
them to solve problems for their staff. It will also free Laura to focus on building a
greater sense of staff commitment to mission and vision.
What steps could be taken to build staff confidence?

Staff seems uncertain about the future due to high turnover and Laura’s negative
conversation style. Building staff confidence could involve

• Giving managers more autonomy and the needed information to manage

their staff
• Communicating regularly with staff about changes
• Encouraging staff to pursue professional development and learning
opportunities and providing time for them to do so
• Engaging in team-building exercises and interactions
• Incentivizing excellent performance
• Addressing Laura’s conversation style directly, explaining to her how it
impacts staff perceptions
• Involving staff in the hiring process where possible as team vacancies are
filled
• Talking to staff directly and without retribution about the issues they think
contribute to high turnover

What advice would you give Laura on improving her leadership skills and to the
managers on improving their management skills?

It might help for both Laura and the managers to take a personality or
leadership/management assessment. This way the mangers can ascertain their
individual skills, learn how they can best support employees, and figure out how
they can work together to use each other's strengths to run the department.
Using a style approach, Manager 1 appears to utilize a task-oriented approach
and Manager 2 demonstrates a relationship-oriented style. These two
orientations could be structured to support one another.

Laura can focus on building leadership skills by building on her current strengths.
In addition, Laura may want to revisit the roles and responsibilities of each
position and how her division's work aligns with the overall organizational
mission. Aligning with the overall mission and communicating it to staff may help
improve morale and provide clarity on the department's role and direction.

+
Which leadership style do you think a leader would need to be effective in this
situation?

Several leadership approaches may be suited to the position described in the

scenario:

• Skills: Centers on the ability to solve complex problems. The nonprofit is

having several difficulties at the organizational level, including high
turnover.
• Path Goal: Motivates employees by defining goals, clarifying paths,
removing obstacles, and providing support. This type of leadership may
work well in building employee morale.
• Transformational: Treats employees as complete human beings, considers
emotions and perspectives. Builds motivation by providing a clear vision,
acting as a social architect, building trust, and positive self-regard.

What key skills and behaviors does a manager need?

Google’s original study revealed eight core skills of good managers, and in today’s
updated list of ten, two behaviors were revised (3 and 6) and two more were
added (9 and 10). With this in mind there are still only two that are directly
related to technical knowledge or deliverables and the others are all about soft
skills.

1. Is a good coach
2. Empowers team and does not micromanage
3. Creates an inclusive team environment, showing concern for success and
well-being
4. Is productive and results-oriented
5. Is a good communicator — listens and shares information
6. Supports career development and discusses performance
7. Has a clear vision/strategy for the team
8. Has key technical skills to help advise the team
9. Collaborates across Google
10.Is a strong decision maker

What do the updates to Project Oxygen tell us?

Taking a closer look at the list of ten “Google Manager behaviors”, skills 3 and 6
changed subtly. From “Expresses interest in and concern for team members’
success and personal well-being” to “Creates an inclusive team environment
showing concern for success and wellbeing”. And from “Helps with career
development” to “Supports career development and discusses performance”.

This shows that people are not looking for managers to set the blueprint and give
them direct “instructions” on how to do their jobs or which career path to follow.
It’s less hand holding and more opening the way for others to follow. There has
been a change in expectations: expressing an interest is no longer enough,
managers need to have the leadership skills to create the environment in which
people can thrive.

Similarly, people want the possibility to discuss performance and co-create their
career paths, putting themselves in the driver’s seat rather than waiting for
options to be handed to them. As HR expert Josh Bersin says, “employees are
demanding to be in the driver seat and you better give them the steering wheel”.

The addition of “Collaborates across Google” and “Is a strong decision maker” as
skills 9 and 10, show that people need better clarity and alignment between their
work and the overall direction of the company. If they don’t understand how they
are contributing to the organization’s overarching mission, they become
disengaged.

It also reveals that while people want to be empowered, they expect good
leadership skills from their managers. Empowerment shouldn’t be confused with
a “hands-off” approach! People want to know in which direction they’re going
and have confidence in their manager’s decisions.

How to identify a good manager

While ensuring your managers are doing a good job is important, it can also seem
daunting. How can you use Google’s 10 Manager behaviors as a starting point?

Most of the behaviors are about managing and navigating workplace

relationships. In particular, managers need to bring out the best in people as
illustrated by points 1, 2, 5 and 6, and have strong leadership skills (natural or
learnt) as illustrated by points 2-7 and 10.
Start by identifying if managers in your organization are already displaying these
traits. It doesn’t have to be complicated: you can ask the people they work with
to give you feedback by conducting leadership reviews. Use your performance
management system to ask people a set of questions such as:

• Does your manager listen actively to you and the rest of the team?
• Is your manager’s communication clear and easy to understand?
• Does your manager clearly communicate the company’s vision and mission
to you?

If you want to go one step further, why not lead your own research to get a better
understanding of what people in your company most value in good managers,
and what would they like to see? The additional values of asking people internally
are:

• giving them an opportunity to be heard,

• and making them feel involved in the process,
• with the added benefit of increasing buy-in once you roll out core
competencies across the organization.

As an alternative, if you don't have a performance management system, you can

use Google Forms, Typeform, or run an engagement survey using an employee
engagement platform. This will help you establish a baseline from which you can
determine the best way forward.

How to develop great managers

Here are a few simple ideas on how you can ensure managers are getting proper
support and become more effective:

• Teach them how to give employee feedback and encourage managers to

ask for feedback. This is made even easier if you have a performance
management system that allows for real-time feedback.
• Give them guidance on running 1:1s
• Give them guidance on conducting performance reviews
• Develop a mentoring program
• For further inspiration, check out our article “How to develop first-time
managers”.
In addition to creating opportunities for training, managers need support in their
day to day. They are often struggling to find out which team members are
underperforming until it’s too late, because they are juggling a lot of
responsibilities. With the right tools in place to support them, managers can keep
track of conversations, view progress on goals, and conduct light-weight check-
ins. This supports them in their role as a manager, making it seem less
overwhelming, supporting their transition into the role, all while helping you
gather more insight into teams across the organization.

Continuous improvement

Creating training opportunities to bridge the gap is a great first step, but as
Google did, remember to regularly evaluate progress. If you’ve developed a set of
competencies managers need to have, measure them against those skills to
ensure consistency and know when people need support. This helps everyone
stay on track and uphold standards across the organization. In addition, the more
regularly you run reviews the more data you will have to make informed decisions
about promotions, training, or restructuring of teams. You can even use this
information to suggest improved processes and ways of working company-wide.

Conclusion

Managers are one of the most important pillars of your organization. They are
responsible for developing others, and are ambassadors of your company values.
In today’s competitive environment where it’s difficult to attract talent company
culture is key, and managers play a large part in shaping it.

Ten years ago, Project Oxygen revealed the importance of soft skills for managers.
But today, higher expectations are placed on them. People want them to
empower and lead, to show support but not hold hands. Essentially being a good
manager is about much more than just delegating tasks and managing people’s
time. It’s about becoming a good leader, and paving the way for others after you.

If you invest in developing your managers, the knock-on effects are positive:
those who know how to coach and develop others will support the creation of a
learning environment, where people feel empowered and are in the driver’s seat
of their careers.

Context
Start by identifying the situation. Give your colleague a reference point: a specific
example of when they may have demonstrated the behavior in question. For
example, let them know you're specifically referring to what happened during the
team meeting the day before, rather than commenting on their general
interactions with others (even though you may have more than one example).

Observation

Describe the behavior in a clear and objective manner. Focus on the actions that
your colleague took, and not on their personality.

For example you may say "I noticed that during our team meeting, you were so
excited about the topic we were discussing that you interrupted Mark and Julie
several times each."

Impact

Help your colleague understand why you’re commenting on this behavior by

describing its impact. The behavior may impact one or several people, or even an
entire team.

In the above example, the act of interrupting repeatedly affects Mark & Julie’s
contribution to the discussion. It may give them the impression that their
contributions are not valued. It also has an effect on other participants who were
listening to Mark or Julie and compromises the flow of the meeting. Think of the
big picture, and choose the impact that is most relevant to mention.

For example, the impact is bigger when you talk about the effect on the group.
“After you interrupted Mark, the meeting was sidetracked. It would have been
better to wait until we had finished the discussion and then plan a new meeting
around the point you raised.”

Next

Now that you’ve got through the difficult part of giving the feedback, don’t forget
to offer some suggestions of what they could do to improve. What could they do
differently next time?
For example: “Maybe next time you could give whoever’s speaking more time to
elaborate on what they mean so we can all understand their point of view. This
also helps them feel more confident about contributing to discussions. Ask yourself
whether what you want to say will build on the discussion or be more disruptive
than necessary.”

So next time you’re about to give feedback repeat to yourself:

Offer suggesting statements

There are three styles you can adopt when giving your opinion:

1. In a strong statement: I think that the implementation was flawed.

2. In a question: Do you think there was a flaw with the implementation?
3. In a suggestion: I would suggest a few changes to the implementation next
time.

Consider what you are most comfortable with, and most importantly the style you
think your colleague would respond to best.

Avoid “BUT”

Sometimes it's tempting to say: “I think you did a good job but…” You may think
this is softening the blow, but your colleague might be thinking: “what's wrong
now?”. This can quickly make people become defensive.

When you want to deliver both positive and constructive comments, try to list
your points separately. For example:

“First of all, I have to say that you explained the conditions to the client very
thoroughly. Nicely done.

Secondly, it would be better if you try to keep the consulting session a bit more
focused. I noted a few details that could be left out, because they were not
relevant in this case. I was lost at times.”

Use the past tense

You want to refer to a specific behavior in the past. The use of the present tense
would imply that your colleague demonstrates this type of behavior all the time,
making your feedback sound too generic and you might lose your point.

Use verbs

Verbs are better than adjectives because they leave less room for interpretation.
For example:

Avoid saying: “You were rude to a client yesterday.”

Rather say: “You raised your voice a few times and used short, snappy sentences
with a client yesterday.”

Remember to use the C.O.I.N model so the person understands why that was an
issue.

Be conscious of your body language

When you give feedback in person, be aware of your body language. Avoid
gestures that might make recipients defensive or anxious.

1. Don’t raise your voice: you are not angry, you are giving them feedback to
help them improve.
2. Don’t cross your arms: you don’t want to look closed off to conversation
and discussion around the feedback.
3. Don’t frown: you are not there to judge but to provide support. Facial
expressions can send messages without you even saying anything.

To create an atmosphere of openness, keep a friendly tone and open body

language.

Top 15 Management Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 10 example management interview questions (and answers) for you to
practice with:

1. Describe your management style

EXAMPLE ANSWER:
“Trust, transparency, and communication are the heart of my management style.
I start out every project by making sure that I give clear directions and outline our
overall goals, but I make a real effort not to micromanage, even while staying
informed.

“For example, I was on a large software project a few years ago that had five
people each working on a separate code pieces that would create the final
program. I set up a communication board that allowed us to message instantly
and included a status update section where people could keep everyone up to
speed. It allowed me to stay up to date on every aspect of the project without
being intrusive and gave us all a way to work together.”

2. How do you define success?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“I find a lot of value in setting goals as a means of measuring success. By outlining

the steps required to achieve objectives, I can monitor progress, results, and
overall success with ease.

“With a past team, we were assigned the massive task of reorganizing a technical
manual library. We broke it down aisle by aisle, and even shelf by shelf, giving us
manageable micro-goals. Then, I worked in incentives for completing sections to
keep us motivated. Not only were we able to finish by the deadline, but by adding
the fun elements to the project, we remained engaged, which in itself is a major
success.”

3. How do you manage stress among your team members?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“If I start to notice stress within the team, I try to tackle it quickly and proactively.
For example, a few years ago, I was on a group project where we were tasked
with finishing a large design for a client. While the majority of the team worked
well together, there was one individual who was consistently missing deadlines.
This created friction among the members of the group.

“Rather than let the issue fester, I took the employee aside to discuss the
situation. He confided that he was having some personal issues that were cutting
into his work time. We came up with a solution where he was able to switch his
hours around and adjust his schedule to accommodate this issue. As a result, he
was able to catch up with the group.”

4. How do you handle conflict between team members?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“There are always two sides to every story, which is why it’s so important to me
to remain as neutral and open-minded as possible. I was in a situation a few years
ago where two members of my team were clearly unhappy with each other.
Rather than ignoring it with the hope that they would be able to work it out
themselves, I sat down with them individually and asked them to explain what
was going on. We discussed reasonable and professional solutions that worked
for both parties, and the matter was resolved.”

5. Tell me about a time you let an employee go…

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“One summer, I was working as a supervisor for a local pool. We had a lifeguard
who was consistently late to the job. As his supervisor, I pulled him aside on three
occasions and spoke with him about why he was late and how that was a violation
of the company policy, and how the fourth time would be grounds for his
dismissal. I made sure to keep the HR team involved with every step and properly
document each meeting. Unfortunately, he was tardy a fourth time, and I had to
let him know that he was being terminated. It wasn’t an easy task, but it had to be
done.”

6. Tell me about a time you led by example…

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“To me, you can’t be a good leader if you’re not willing to also do the work. One
time, I was supervising a shop that was responsible for cleaning and testing floats.
We got a call from a business that had several of our sensors in a sewage tank
that weren’t reading properly, and we determined they needed replacing. It was a
miserable task, but rather than make the employees suffer any longer than
necessary, I cleared my schedule, threw on a hazmat suit, and joined them. We
were able to get the whole task done in one day, and the client was satisfied.”

7. How do you motivate people?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“Motivation isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, so I like to really get to know my

team on an individual level. A few years ago, I was overseeing a sales team. While
our numbers were good, they weren’t great, partially because one of the
members of the team was dealing with a child going through cancer and chemo.
Because of the gravity of the situation, I decided the team needed a good reward
to get them excited about selling. I promised, if they broke the previous year’s
record, I would shave my head and donate a portion of my salary to a local cancer
charity. This didn’t just motivate the team; it completely re-energized them! We
not only broke the previous year’s record, but fifteen of the employees joined me
in shaving their heads, and we collected and donated over $5000 to the charity.”

8. Give an example of a tough decision you had to make…

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“When making professional decisions, I like to keep in mind the good of the
company before I consider personal feelings. A few years ago, I was in a situation
where I was responsible for hiring a new team member for a large project we
were working on. I had managed to narrow the selection down to two candidates;
a new hire who was perfect for the job and an established employee who was not
quite the right fit for the position but whom I considered a personal friend. While
I would have loved to hire my friend, it wouldn’t have been the right choice for
the company, so I hired the new employee. When my friend asked me why I had
made that decision, I explained it to him. At the time, it wasn’t an easy decision,
but it was the right one and one I would make again.”

9. What is your biggest management weakness?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“There are times when I have to remember that although I’m the supervisor and
ultimately responsible for the success or failure of a project, I also have to step
back and trust my employees to do the jobs I’ve hired them for. In past situations,
when problems would arise, I would often find myself jumping in and fixing the
problem myself, bypassing the person who was assigned the task. While my
jumping in did solve the immediate problem, it would often lead team members
to feel as though I lacked confidence in their abilities. It was a hard lesson to learn
and one I still struggle with, but now, when I am faced with an issue, I step back,
take a deep breath and determine the best path that doesn’t involve stepping on
toes or undermining my fellow team.”

10. How do you delegate tasks to your team?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“I prefer to delegate tasks based on the aptitude of each team member for the
task at hand. Prior to delegation, I sit down with my team and discuss the project.
We break it down and determine exactly what needs to get done and who is the
best person for each task.

“For example, a few years ago, I was brought in to replace a project manager in a
failing store. We closed shop for 24-hours so I could sit down with the entire team
and discuss what was going on. I discovered that the previous manager had
allowed favoritism to impact their choices. I then completely restructured the
entire team based on what each person’s strengths and skills were, opening the
next day with everyone in their new roles and tasks. Within a week, we were
doing better numbers than had been done the month prior, and within six
months, the store had become one of the top-performing stores in the area.”

11. Why do you want to become a manager?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“One of my core reasons for wanting to transition into management involves my

success as a project lead. In my past role, I had the opportunity to oversee several
high-visibility projects, coordinating teams of no less than five members. While I
relished in the opportunity to put my skills to work, what was most rewarding –
and was ultimately an area where I shined – was coaching others toward success.
I feel my experience as an individual contributor gives me an advantage in that
regard, as I understand the perspective of the team. Plus, my active listening,
delegation, and communication skills help eliminate obstacles and resolve
conflicts, and I believe I could do the same in a management role.”

12. Discuss a time when you had to provide negative feedback.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“In my last position, I was part of a project team with a member who was
struggling with their responsibilities, ultimately turning in subpar work that would
have to be redone. I scheduled a one-on-one meeting, bringing examples of the
issues I found in their outputs. At the start of the meeting, I mentioned that my
goal was to find a solution to the issue I’d discovered and used a fact-based, non-
judgmental approach to outline the problem. Then, I asked the employee how
they perceived the issue and if they had possible solutions. This allowed us to
work together, developing a coaching plan that got them back on target.”

13. What steps do you take to create a positive culture?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“The benefits of a positive, supportive culture are well-known, so I go the extra

mile to ensure I do my part to create one. Along with getting to know employees
on an individual level, I make well-being a priority. Additionally, I ensure
recognition is a consistent part of any conversation and take extra steps to
showcase my gratitude. Whether it’s a hand-written thank you note, a catered
lunch, or anything else, I ensure that each employee knows they’re valued and
seen.”

14. How do you keep your team engaged?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“For engagement, I’ve found that the most effective approaches involve healthy
challenges, pathways for advancement, and a clear connection between
individual tasks and the broader mission. By ensuring all team members get
opportunities to join exciting projects and hone new skills, the work stays
interesting. Couple that with making all tasks meaningful, and even everyday
activities are more engaging.”
15. What plans do you have for team development?

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“Ongoing development is critical for remaining on top of trends and closing skill
gaps. Generally, I’ve found that the most successful approach begins with
research. Along with examining emerging trends, I spend time talking with team
members about their career goals and interests. This allows me to find
opportunities that align, creating a more enriching experience for employees
while ensuring the company has access to the skill sets its needs.”

John Wooden's Biography in Brief

Wooden was born in a small town in Indiana in 1910. He grew up on a farm, but
he proved his prowess on the court. A local basketball star, he went on to star at
Purdue University, where he was a three-time All-American. After graduation he
became a teacher and a basketball coach. Wooden eventually made his way to
the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he became one of the best
basketball coaches of all time. During the 1960s and 1970s his teams won 10
national titles in 12 years. Wooden was renowned not just for his victories but for
his signature coaching style, which emphasized hard work, a positive attitude, and
teamwork.

Even after Wooden's retirement in 1975, he remained influential in the basketball

and wider coaching communities. His teachings and maxims were - and still are -
adopted by people in and out of sports.

Pyramid of Success

Perhaps one of Wooden's more popular creations is the Pyramid of Success. The
Pyramid lists 15 values and attributes, with basic skills or qualities being used to
build more advanced ones, leading to the end goal: competitive greatness. Below,
we briefly detail each step and how each is important on the road to success.

How does the pyramid of success work?

The pyramid of success is Wooden’s way of capturing the ingredients of success

he’d identified across his extraordinary career and life. Wooden’s pyramid of
success contains 15 building blocks across five layers. Similar to Abraham
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, each layer builds upon the other.

Of course, success doesn’t depend exclusively on following a strict order. Instead,

the pyramid of success contains a cross-section of the values and behaviors that
moves beyond building a more effective offense or cohesive team spirit, helping
those that use it build a fruitful life.

The diagram consists of 15 inner blocks and ten “mortar,” totaling 25 building
blocks, which John Wooden calls the 25 Proven Behaviors That Produce True
Success. It’s effectiveness comes from considering how, as an individual, you’re
integrating these qualities into your life.

Wooden saw these successful behaviors as fundamental to the successes he

taught and witnessed in others. As we explore the building blocks below, keep in
mind how you can integrate these into your life. The more blocks, the better.

The Building Blocks of the Pyramid of Success

So, what are these magic ingredients the Wizard of Westwood identified? Join
John Wooden and learn more about his pyramid, starting with the 15 inner
blocks, layer by layer.

The Base Layer

These are the foundations success is built upon. It’s almost impossible to become
successful without balance in these areas.

Industriousness

This is hard work, plain and simple. If you want something in life, you have to
work for it, be it financial wealth, climbing the career ladder, raising a family, or
overcoming limitations.

Friendship

Without friends, success becomes a lonely journey. Both the highs and lows of
any worthwhile pursuit are best shared with loved ones.

Loyalty
This works both ways, in trusting people around you, and being loyal to others to
build trust. Coach Wooden believed it was sometimes necessary to sacrifice
personal glory for the team.

Cooperation

No person is an island. Working with others from a place of generosity — sharing

wisdom, sharing ideas, sharing inspiration.

Enthusiasm

Success requires commitment over long periods of time, commitment with

enthusiasm and an eagerness and passion towards pursuing your goals.

Level 2

Once building upon solid foundations, these building blocks are the cornerstone
of developing momentum towards a successful life:

Self-control

You have to be able to avoid temptations that lure you away from your path, have
the self-discipline to become a better person, and remain committed to taking
action.

Alertness

This is the opposite of tunnel vision, it’s the ability to remain tuned-in to your
environment, and respond with good judgment. Successful people don’t isolate
themselves, but are observing constantly.

Initiative

Success isn’t handed to anyone. Sure, you will get help and support along the
way, but you must be willing to take matters into your own hands, through
discernment and careful planning.

Intentness
Keep going when times are tough. Having intent means to be persistent when
things are working against you.

Level 3

These building blocks are at the heart of Wooden’s philosophy, bridging the
foundation and the higher levels.

Condition

This is made of three components — mental, moral and physical condition.

Considering Wooden’s background as a basketball coach, this holistic approach is
common sense. You have to have your mind, body, and heart aligned and looked
after.

Skill

What are your gifts? What can you learn to improve? Skill is the process of
mastering different abilities, and knowing what your strengths and weaknesses
are.

Team spirit

This goes one step further than cooperation. This is the willingness to sacrifice
personal interests in order to benefit a greater cause — be it someone else, a
team, or even a transcendent form of service.

Level 4

These two building blocks are near the peak of the pyramid:

Poise

This is the ability to stay true to your values and your commitment, when faced
with challenging circumstances. It can also be described as self-respect,
confidence or composure.

Confidence
This is the point of becoming certain of your abilities from relentless study,
application, and development. This is a stage of excellence where true, abiding
confidence becomes a natural byproduct.

The Peak

Finally, the building block sitting at the top of the pyramid of success, is…

Competitive greatness

Another building block indicative of coach Wooden’s immersion in sports that has
much wider implications. This form of greatness doesn’t only apply to beating
opponents in the arena, but being willing to take your place on the stage, and
challenge yourself to become the greatest version of yourself — even if your
competition is the past version of yourself.

The Pyramid of Success Mortar

No structure is built without individual blocks being firmly held in place. When
looking at the diagram of the pyramid of success, you’ll notice that there are
additional 10 blocks by the sides of each layer.

These are what coach John Wooden calls “the mortar” of the pyramid. These are
inner values that contribute to a successful person — the left side is “The Force of
the Human Spirit,” and the right side is “The Strength of Human Character.” At
the top is what is known as “The Pinnacle”.

The Force of Human Spirit

• Ambition (for noble goals): successful people know which goals are truly
meaningful, and pursue them intently.
• Adaptability (to any situation): being flexible to challenges is a crucial
principle of success.
• Resourcefulness (proper judgment): how do you make the most out of
your time, energy, and talent?
• Fight (determined effort): nothing worthwhile in life is achieved without
effort. Many successful people sacrifice their personal interests to pursue
their dreams.
The Strength of Human Character

• Sincerity (keep friends): this block talks to the value of making sure you
remain grounded in relationships to other people.
• Honesty (in thoughts and actions): good leadership requires leaders who
act with honesty and humility, not those who look to compete and “win”
through dishonest means.
• Reliability (creates respect): people look towards those they know they can
rely on. This includes reliability of character, and people who are clear in
what they will do, and stick to it.
• Integrity (purity of intention): coach Wooden identified integrity as
“purity” of heart.

The Pinnacle

• Faith (through prayer): Coach Wooden saw the value in having a spiritual
practice to support success, another key to not only winning, but living a
successful life.
• Patience (good things take time): It takes roughly a decade to become an
overnight success. Any outstanding achievement takes time, and those who
make it are those who continue to believe in their ability.

How to apply the pyramid of success

A signed print of the pyramid of success appears on an office wall in Ted Lasso,
the Emmy-award winning comedy about an American Football coach hired to
manage a British football team.

Star and producer Jason Sudeikis was influenced by Wooden’s pyramid after a
basketball coach introduced him to it at college. He later used the pyramid while
teaching improv comedy: “I would bring in laminated copies like a freaking PE
teacher and diagram on them with a dry erase marker,” he told the Futbol
Podcast.

As Sudeikis demonstrates, the pyramid of success can be applied in a number of

ways. Like John Wooden himself, not only can they be used as a point of
reference for your own path of success, they offer a structure to teach others. If
you’re in a leadership position, consider taking your team through the pyramid of
success and encouraging people to reflect on how much they are embodying each
of the behaviors.

Personally, I’ve taken time to reflect on the building blocks, and how well
integrated these qualities are. It’s an illuminating and inspiring exercise. Start with
the base, work through each quality, and consider: how well am I embodying this
building block? What can I do more of? For example, you might realize you’re
ranking high in your work rate, but could do with additional support by
collaborating with others.

Wooden’s life philosophy has offered a gift to those looking to structure success
into their lives. No single framework is a magic ingredient. But as one of the most
successful sports coaches in history, Wooden understood success more than
most. Combined, these building blocks put success into its proper perspective.

So, build upon what you’ve integrated, take a shot at the successful life you
dream of, and develop a winning mentality that’ll support your journey, no
matter how that looks to you.

Decision Making Question 1

Though they decided to maintain the good quality of the product, after an
increase in the production level of wooden products, the quality department has
been receiving numerous complaints about the quality of the product. Mr Rohan,
who was busy solving some important problems concerning shipping department
felt uncomfortable with all these complaints regarding quality of the product.
If you were in Rohan’s position, what decision would you take?
A Decrease the production level of wooden products.
B Change all the suppliers, since they are supplying low quality wood.
C Since quality of the product is more important, put shipping problems aside
and think about how what’s wrong with the product quality.
D Check with suppliers about the quality of wood and ask Gautham to come up
with a plan to solve the problems regarding quality.
E Fire Gautham, since he could not handle the work properly.

Answer: D
Explanation:
Options a, b, c are not proper solutions to solve the problem given in the
question. And option E is harsh decision to make. Option D is the better decision
to
make, so that they could work on the quality of the product with the help of
Gautham’s plan without any further consequences.

XAT Decision Making Question 2

Mr. Shivakumar is Social science teacher and a self taught engineer who works in
Sri. Vidya Government school in Mankulur district of Karnataka. Even though he
has no prior experience in building, he proposed the construction of two huge
dams that would help to overcome the irrigation problems of the district. The
people of the district was enthusiastic about the plan and took Shivakumar’s plan
to the district collector.
What is the best course of action by that should be taken by the collector?
A Praise Mr. Shivakumar for the service he has done for the society
B Experiment the plan in a small scale to check its feasibility
C Accept the proposal given by Mr.Shivakumar as his plan seems to be plausible
D Make necessary arrangements to ensure that the plan is successfully
implemented
E Reject the proposal of Mr. Shivakumar as he is inexperienced in the field

Answer: B
Explanation:
Even though Mr. Shivakumar is not very experienced in Engineering, the collector
should have an open mind about the plan. He should first let experts study
the plan carefully and then decide whether the plan is feasible or not. From the
options only option B suggests something in this nature. Thus, B is the best
decision of the author given the circumstances

Instructions
Read the information given below and answer the questions which follow.
Malibaba is a Japanese e-commerce company. In the annual meeting of the board
of directors, it is decided that company will expand its business overseas. They
want to invest in at least 1 Asian country. The company forms a committee to
analyze the market situation in various Asian countries. The committee studies
the market conditions in developing Asian countries and boiled down its search to
3 different countries. The pros and cons for each of the
countries are listed in a report which the committee submits to the board of
directors. India is one of the prospective countries where Malibaba plans to
Create invest. However, the country has restrictions on FDI in retail market.
Moreover, there are already existing players like klipkart and napdeal in the
Indian market.
Another prospective country is Sri Lanka where there is no existing competitor
but the market reach is low. In comparison to India’s 1.2 billion, the population of
Sri Lanka is merely 20 million. The third prospective country is Pakistan. This
country has a reasonably good market and there’s no competition . However, the
country is not well developed and thus the purchasing power of the people is low.
Moreover, because of being called a terrorist hub, there are also security
concerns in Pakistan.

XAT Decision Making Question

Sri Lankan government is providing incentives for the foreign companies investing
in the country. Malibaba wants to invest in only one country. Most of the board
members are in favour of investing in India while some of them want to invest in
Sri Lanka. Which of the following reasons will convince the other members to
invest in India?
A The market in India is far bigger than the market in Sri Lanka
B The cost of setting up the business per potential customer in India would be
way lower than that in Sri Lanka despite the government’s incentives
C The benefits that Sri Lanka is offering are only for the short term. After some
time the taxes in Sri Lanka would be same as those in India
D Only a and b
E All of these
Answer: B
Explanation:
Because of the larger market potential the cost of setting up the business per
potential customer in India would be much lower than that in Sri Lanka. Hence,
despite governments incentives in Sri Lanka, the company will still prefer to invest
in India.

XAT Decision Making Question

The company has finally decided to invest in India. However, the FDI restriction
laws prevent the company from entering the Indian market in its current
form. Which of the following would be the best option for the company in such a
scenario?
Create
A Give up on the plan to invest in India and invest in Pakistan and Sri Lanka
instead.
B Register a company with a new name and start operations.
C Tie up with an already existing e-commerce company in the Indian market.
D Request the Indian government to relax the FDI norms.
E Asks one of its board members, who has good political connections, to put
pressure on the Indian government to allow FDI.

Answer: C
Explanation:
The easiest way to enter the Indian market would be to tie up with an already
existing company. It would provide the infrastructure which is already there and
also help overcome the investment restrictions which have been put in by the
government.

Read the following information carefully and answer the questions which follow.
Kamal owns a fruit and juice shop. His shop is one of the most popular shops in
the area as he only sells good and fresh fruits. He has grown very old so he
decided to hand over the business to his sons Ajay and Vijay. However none of
the two sons have any experience of the business.
XAT Decision Making Question 4
Ajay observed that his father used to sell fruits at 10% discount to some of his
customers. He asked his father about it and he was told that these are loyal
customers who have been shopping from him for more than 5 years.
Ajay, however, wants to discontinue this service. Which of the following reasons
given by Ajay is likely to convince his father to discontinue additional discount
service?
A These customers often end up buying the fruits for other people and hence
are misusing the service.
B The same customers frequently go to other shops and pay the market prices
for the fruits.
C None of them recognizes Kamal or appreciates his gesture.
D Both a and c
E Both a and b

Answer: E
Explanation:
The basic premise for giving discounts is that these customers are loyal. If these
customers are purchasing regularly from the other shops and also buy things for
other people then they are not being loyal to Kamal’s shop. Hence both argument
a and b are likely to convince Kamal to stop giving discounts.

Instructions
Since two years, Balu is working in a software company, Axis Software Pvt. Ltd., as
a Software Engineer. Due to the recent death of his father, he is the sole earning
member of his family. He is awaiting his promotion to a Senior Software Engineer
as the improved pay would make the financial position of his family better. Balu
reports to his manager Amit, who is off late under pressure as his performance
review is due and his team has been unable to meet the targets set for this year.
During his time at Axis Software, Balu in his free time has developed a software
which would efficiently streamline the leave processes of all the employees in the
company. One day Balu has shared the details of this software, in person, to his
manager Amit hoping it would make his way clear for a promotion. Amit, after
testing the software has found it to be very good and now is thinking of
presenting it as his own, in his performance review so as to make it benefit him.
He thinks he can easily convince Balu with this plan by giving him a promotion and
also a salary raise of 30%.

XAT Decision Making Question 5

Which of the following actions is the most helpful for Amit?
A Present the software as his own
B Present the software as the work of his team

C Present the software along with Balu so that it makes both appear good
D Give Balu the opportunity to present his software
E Do not present the software to his manager

Answer: C
Explanation:
If Amit presents the software as his own it may lead him into trouble later on
when the truth comes out. So Option A can be eliminated.
Options D and E do not benefit Amit in any way. So they can be ruled out.
If Amit presents Balu’s work as the work of the entire team it would make Balu as
the entire team will get the credit. So the best option for Amit is to present
the software along with Balu so that it makes both of them look good.
XAT Decision Making Question 6
Amit has now informed Balu that he will present Balu’s software as his own and in
return will grant Balu a raise and promotion. What should Balu do now?
A Let Amit present his software as his own
B Talk to Amit’s boss Mandar, about the plans of Amit
C Leave the company
D Tell Amit that he is not willing to accept the proposal
E Talk to his colleagues and take the decision
Answer: D
Explanation:
Option A is unethical and must be ruled out.
Option B is not desirable as in this case Balu would be violating the organizational
hierarchy. Leaving the company at this stage is not advisable as it would create a
financial burden on Balu. So Option C can also be ruled out.
Informing his colleagues about Amit’s proposal is also not advisable as it may lead
to misunderstanding with his boss.
Thus the best thing for Balu to do is to tell Amit directly that he is not willing to
share the credit.

XAT Decision Making Question 7

Which of the following is the main reason for Amit’s proposal to Balu?
A Amit’s greedy nature
B Amit not able to meet his targets
C Amit’s financial situation
D Balu’s financial situation
E Balu making the software which was not a part of his work

Answer: B
Explanation:
It is given in the passage that Amit’s performance review is due and his team has
not met the expectations set for this year. This is the main reason why Amit
wanted to present Balu’s work as his own. Thus the answer is Option B.

XAT Decision Making Question 8

What should the company do to avoid situations like this?
A Do not allow employees to work over time
B Track the day to day activities of all employees
C Do not put unrealistic expectations on a team’s performance
D Make the roles of each employee clearly defined
E None of the above

Answer: E
Explanation:
In the given options, none of these measures will prove enough to avert/avoid
situations like this. So the answer is Option E.

Instructions
Read the following information carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Ayush Gangwar, a project manager at an FMCG company, was wondering how he
should approach the issue of ‘Kide’ commercials. Kide had been doing well
in the market, but not a week went by without a customer writing to complain
about the commercial.
It featured a woman saying, “Muddy shirt! Muddy shirt!” in a condescending
voice to a man whose shirt was soiled with dirt. The man looked at his wife, who
was very embarrassed at the entire situation. Later the commercial shows her
washing the shirt after rubbing Kide into it, and the other woman saying, “So
bright and tidy!”
The complaining letters, almost exclusively from women, expressed objections to
the commercial because it was misogynistic and otherwise offensive as
well. Many of these unsatisfied customers said that they would not buy the brand
because of the offensive commercial and because it was demeaning to
women. On the one hand, the brand was doing well; it was the brand leader in a
growing market, though a much larger competing company was quite capable
of beating Kide.
Ayush was a believer in the profit motive, but not at the cost of condoning
unethical behaviour. He had been asked to make a recommendation for the
commercial. After reviewing the sales data and reading the letters of complaint,
Ayush was contemplating his next move. He analysed data which showed
that the primary decision makers and purchasers of the product were women.
Part of the reason for Kide’s success was believed to be the advertising
message, which not only had a high level of recall but a high level of association
with the brand. Ayush wondered if, in spite of its apparent success, it was
ethical to continue with the advertising message if it was misogynistic.
Question 9
How should Ayush approach the situation?
A Take no action until the issue is studied further.
B Stop the existing message and come up with a new marketing campaign.
C Modify the current message slightly.
D Stick with the existing message as it is one of the reasons behind Kide’s
success.
E Use the previous marketing message which wasn’t so successful but never had
criticism for being misogynistic.
Answer: A
Explanation:
It is mentioned that a larger competing company was quite capable of beating
Kide. It is also known that the current message is one of the reasons behind
Kide’s success. Thus, changing or modifying the message entails the risk of losing
the market to their rival. Thus, B and E are incorrect. C is also incorrect as
there is no guarantee that the modified message is as successful as the current
one.
The correct approach should be to analyse the situation better. It is given that
they are receiving at least one complaint per week i.e. at least 52 in the year.
But if the customers who are content with the commercial are much larger than
this base, then changing the message is not the best idea as the message
has been proven successful. Thus, between A and E, A is the better choice as it
addresses the complaints unlike E.

Question 10
Ayush reported to Neha Singh, the marketing head, and would provide
recommendations to her. Neha was a capable, promising executive who did not
like
the Kide commercial. She proclaimed that she would never buy the brand
because the message was offensive and asked Ayush to change the message.
But Ayush was not strongly in favour of the idea. He was worried about how the
new message might affect Kide’s standing in the market.
What is the best course of action for Ayush?

A Work on the new message as it is suggested by his senior.

B Approach the CEO of the company and express his concerns to him.
C Start working on the new message but approach Neha once again expressing
his concerns and reservations.
D Send an anonymous mail to all the senior officials expressing his concern.
E Modify the current message slightly so that it is less offensive.
Answer: C
Explanation:
A is incorrect as it might be the case that Neha’s strategy might not be the best.
Ayush should not supress his reservations as it might seriously affect the
firm’s standing in the market.
B is also incorrect as it involves completely ignoring his senior’s order.
D is also incorrect as it doesn’t guarantee that the seniors will pay heed to an
anonymous’ suggestions.
E is also not the best option as it still doesn’t addresses the situation completely.
C is the correct option as it ensures that his concerns are properly addressed and
at the same time he is not offending his senior.