Do you take ownership for the success or failure of the project you lead? Of course, the answer is “Yes.”

To truly uncover a candidate’s character, values, and work ethic, the questions should be open-ended and scenario-based. My favourite part of the process: drill down with follow-up questions.

Here’s a list of questions you could ask to tease out the traits, values, and characteristics of a candidate. Even better, consider integrating behavioural questions with technical ones during interviews:

1. Resilience
   1. Can you share an example of a challenging situation you faced and how you dealt with it?
   2. Can you think of a time when you had to adapt to a significant change? What did you do?
   3. Tell me about a time when you felt like giving up. What kept you going, and how did the situation turn out?
   4. Tell me about a time when you took on something unfamiliar or outside your comfort zone. How did you handle it?
   5. Describe a time when you received criticism or negative feedback. How did you react, and what steps did you take afterward?
2. Teamwork
   1. Describe a situation where there was a conflict or disagreement within your team. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?
   2. Can you describe a time when you went out of your way to help a teammate achieve their goals? How did it affect the overall team dynamic?
   3. Tell me about a time when you had to rely on others to complete a task. How did you ensure that everyone fulfilled their responsibilities?
   4. Have you ever worked with a teammate whose working style was very different from yours? How did you adapt to collaborate effectively?
   5. Can you tell me about a time when you disagreed with a teammate on how to approach a task or project? How did you resolve the disagreement?
   6. Tips for Follow-up:
      • Drill Down: If answers are vague, ask for details like, “What steps did you take to resolve the conflict?” or “How did the team respond to your actions?”
      • Observe Values: Look for indications of collaboration, empathy, and a balance between taking initiative and supporting others.
      • Look for Impact: Ask, “What was the result of your efforts?” to measure their ability to influence outcomes positively within a team.
3. Leadership
   1. Tell me about a situation where you had to make a tough decision with limited information. How did you approach it, and what was the result?
   2. Describe a time when you had to delegate tasks to others. How did you decide who was best suited for each task, and how did you ensure they succeeded?
   3. Have you ever mentored or coached someone to improve their performance? What steps did you take, and what was the outcome?
   4. Can you give an example of how you empowered your team to take ownership of their work? What was the impact on the team’s performance?
   5. Share an example of a time when you handled a conflict within your team. How did you address it, and what was the result?
   6. Have you ever had to inspire a team during a period of low morale? What steps did you take, and what was the result?
   7. Can you share an example of a leadership mistake you made? What did you learn from it, and how did you apply that lesson going forward?
4. Problem-Solving
   1. What’s the toughest problem you’ve ever solved? What made it challenging, and how did you overcome it?
   2. Think of a time when you were tasked with solving a problem outside your area of expertise. What steps did you take, and what did you learn from the experience?
   3. How do you typically approach a new problem? Can you walk me through your process step-by-step?
   4. Can you think of a problem you solved where you later realized there was a better solution? What would you have done differently?
   5. Key Follow-Up Questions
      • “What alternative solutions did you consider?” (Evaluates creativity.)
      • “How did you measure the success of your solution?” (Assesses result-orientation.)
      • “What role did others play in helping you solve the problem?” (Reveals teamwork and collaboration.)
5. Time Management
   1. Can you describe a time when you had to manage multiple tasks or projects at once? How did you prioritize your work?
   2. Describe a situation where you had to adjust your priorities due to unforeseen circumstances. How did you handle it?
   3. What tools or techniques do you use to keep track of your tasks and deadlines? Can you provide an example of how this worked for a specific project?
   4. Can you share a situation where you struggled to manage your time? What did you learn, and how did you improve?
   5. Can you tell me about a time when poor time management caused a problem for you? What did you do to prevent it from happening again?
6. Resourcefulness
   1. Have you ever faced a challenge where you didn’t know the answer immediately? How did you find the information or tools you needed?
   2. Describe a situation where you had to learn something new on your own to tackle a problem. How did you go about it?
   3. Have you ever had to develop a workaround for a process or system that wasn’t working as expected? How did you approach it?
   4. Share an example of when you worked with a limited budget but still managed to achieve your goal. How did you allocate resources?
   5. Have you ever had to manage a task or project with fewer people than you expected? What was your approach?
7. Entrepreneurial Mindset
   1. Have you ever pursued a project or idea on your own, outside of your regular responsibilities? What was the result?
   2. Tell me about a situation where you created something new or significantly improved an existing process. What motivated you to do so?
   3. Have you ever failed while trying something new? How did you handle it, and what did you take away from the experience?
   4. Can you give an example of a time when you took a calculated risk? How did you assess the potential rewards and challenges?
   5. Have you ever had to challenge conventional thinking or propose an unconventional idea? How did you convince others to support it?
   6. Can you think of a situation where things didn’t go as planned, and you had to pivot or adapt your approach? What was the result?
   7. Key Follow-Up Questions
      • “What specific actions did you take, and how did they contribute to the success (or failure) of the initiative?”
      • “What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them to achieve your goal?”
      • “What impact did your actions have on the team, organization, or customer?”
8. Ownership and Accountability
   1. Describe a situation where you took ownership of a project or problem and drove it to completion.
   2. Tell me about a time when something went wrong on a project you were working on. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?
   3. Have you ever been responsible for solving a major issue or challenge? How did you ensure it was resolved effectively?
   4. Describe a time when you made a mistake at work. How did you take responsibility, and what did you learn from the experience?
   5. Have you ever had to give feedback to someone who wasn’t meeting expectations? How did you handle the situation?
9. Strong Work Ethic
   1. Tell me about a situation where you took on additional responsibilities to ensure a task was completed successfully.
   2. What drives you to consistently put in your best effort, even in challenging situations?
   3. Describe a time when others relied on you to meet a critical deadline. How did you ensure you delivered?
   4. Tell me about a time when you had to make sacrifices (e.g., extra hours, learning new skills) to meet a professional goal.
10. Openness to Feedback
    1. Can you describe a time when you received constructive criticism? How did you react, and what changes did you make?
    2. Tell me about a piece of feedback you initially disagreed with. How did you handle it, and what did you learn?
    3. Tell me about a time when acting on feedback led to a significant positive outcome in your work.
    4. How do you typically gather feedback about your performance or work? Can you give an example?
    5. Can you share an example of a time when you received tough feedback? How did you process it and move forward?
    6. Describe a situation where you disagreed with feedback you received. How did you communicate your perspective?
    7. What’s the most valuable feedback you’ve ever received, and how did it shape your growth?

Behavioural interviews are an opportunity to go beyond the surface. With the right questions, you can uncover the traits and values that truly matter for your team and your company.