Many senior and executive-level candidates, including those applying for Senior Civil Service (SCS) roles, tell us they worry about not coming across as a leader in interviews. Feedback often includes comments like:
“You didn’t come across as strategic enough.”
“We weren’t convinced by your leadership style.”
The issue isn’t usually a lack of leadership experience. It’s that candidates struggle to describe how they lead in a way that convinces the panel. If this sounds familiar, our Executive Interview Coaching can help you refine how you present yourself as a leader and build answers that reflect your senior impact.
In this article and video below, Interview Skills Coach Matt Eastlake shares a six-step framework to help you demonstrate authentic, strategic leadership in interviews, whether you are applying for a Civil Service, NHS, or private sector executive role.
Watch the video below before reading through the eight steps. Matt explains the most common leadership interview mistakes and how to fix them.
1. Set Direction and Share Vision
One of the most important things leaders do is set a clear direction. Panels do not just want to know what tasks you managed, they want to understand how you:
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Interpreted the organisation’s objectives
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Created a compelling vision for your team
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Brought people together behind a common goal
Instead of saying “I led a project to deliver X,” a stronger response would be:
“I started by clarifying the organisation’s priorities, then brought the team together to share the vision, explaining the challenge and how our work connected to wider strategic goals. This gave everyone a clear sense of purpose.”
By showing that you communicate vision, you immediately elevate your answers from operational detail to strategic leadership.
2. Listen and Embrace Diversity
Panels often associate leadership with collaboration. That does not mean you have to know everything yourself, quite the opposite. A great leader listens and draws on the diverse perspectives of their team.
In interviews, you can demonstrate this by explaining how you:
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Sought input from people with different expertise
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Valued challenge and alternative viewpoints
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Made better decisions because of the diversity of thought in the room
For example:
“Once I shared the objectives, I made sure everyone had the opportunity to contribute their expertise. I encouraged open debate and used the collective knowledge to shape our approach.”
This shows humility, inclusivity, and maturity as a leader, qualities that panels actively look for.
3. Create an Inclusive Culture
Listening is not enough unless people feel safe to speak up. In interviews, you need to show how you create a culture where people feel included and valued. This means being:
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Approachable, colleagues feel they can bring you issues without fear
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Visible, you attend team discussions and make yourself available
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Open, you treat every idea seriously, even if it is later discounted
You could illustrate this with an example such as:
“I held regular open forums where team members could raise concerns or ideas. By acknowledging contributions, even when we could not take them forward, people felt valued and continued to engage.”
For Civil Service and executive panels, this shows that you are not just managing upwards, you are actively building an inclusive environment that brings out the best in people.
4. Be Decisive with Sound Judgement
One of the most common interview traps is sounding indecisive. Leaders are expected to make clear, confident decisions, but also to explain how they reached them.
A strong answer should highlight your decision-making process, showing how you:
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Gathered the right data and evidence
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Consulted with key stakeholders
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Weighed risks and options
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Made a timely and balanced decision
Instead of saying “I decided to do X,” say something like:
“I gathered input from colleagues across departments, reviewed the data, and assessed the risks. Once I was confident we had considered all options, I made the decision to proceed and communicated it clearly, along with the rationale.”
Panels want to see that your decisions are thoughtful, evidence-based, and ultimately effective.
5. Delegate Thoughtfully
Many candidates simply say that they delegated tasks, but in senior interviews this is not enough. Panels want to hear that you think carefully about delegation and use it to develop others.
You can show this by explaining how you:
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Choose the right people, sometimes offering stretch opportunities
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Coach and mentor less experienced colleagues
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Ensure clarity about responsibilities and outcomes
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Create ownership rather than just assigning work
For example:
“I delegated the financial analysis to a team member who wanted to grow in that area. I provided coaching at the start, checked progress mid-way, and gave them ownership of the final presentation. This helped develop their skills and ensured high-quality results.”
This demonstrates that your delegation is strategic, developmental, and empowers your team.
6. Remove Blockers to Progress
Leaders are there to make sure their teams succeed. Panels want to hear that you recognise when something is getting in the way, and that you take action to remove those obstacles.
You can show this by explaining how you:
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Secured additional budget or resources
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Negotiated with senior stakeholders
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Escalated issues at the right level
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Identified opportunities that made delivery smoother
For example:
“My team highlighted a dependency on another department that was slowing progress. I escalated the issue with the leadership team, secured agreement on new timelines, and ensured blockers were removed so we could deliver.”
This shows that you are proactive, senior in your approach, and focused on enabling your team to deliver results.
7. Think Strategically, Not Operationally
Panels often say that candidates are “not strategic enough.” Usually, this means answers are focused too much on tasks and not enough on long-term impact.
When preparing your answers, always ask yourself:
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Am I showing how this aligned with organisational goals?
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Did I connect my team’s work to the bigger picture?
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Did I focus on outcomes rather than activities?
By framing your answers in strategic terms, you signal that you operate at the right level for an executive or Senior Civil Service role.
8. How to Answer: What’s Your Leadership Style?
This is one of the most common and challenging interview questions. Many people default to saying “I’m collaborative,” which is fine, but it does not go far enough. Panels want to see that you can adapt your leadership style to suit the situation.
A stronger answer might be:
“My leadership style depends on the situation. When urgent action is needed, I take a directive approach. When time allows, I am collaborative and draw on diverse perspectives. When leading change, I take a transformational approach, recognising and addressing people’s concerns.”
This shows flexibility, self-awareness, and alignment with the seven steps above. It also demonstrates that you are capable of leading in different contexts and environments.
Final Thoughts
To succeed in an executive or Senior Civil Service interview, you need to do more than say you are a good leader. You must show it through structured answers that highlight how you:
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Set direction and share vision
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Listen and embrace diversity
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Create an inclusive culture
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Make clear decisions with sound judgement
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Delegate thoughtfully
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Remove blockers to progress
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Think strategically, not operationally
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Adapt your leadership style
Weaving these elements into your answers helps you present yourself as the authentic, strategic leader you already are.
If you are preparing for a senior or SCS interview, explore our Executive Interview Coaching to develop tailored strategies, strengthen your leadership examples, and prepare with expert feedback.
