Developing people skills in managerial roles refers to the ability to effectively nurture, guide, and enhance the capabilities and performance of team members through coaching, feedback, and creating growth opportunities. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), this competency is essential for building high-performing teams and establishing a culture of continuous improvement that drives organizational success.

Managers with strong people development skills can transform average performers into exceptional contributors, build robust succession pipelines, and significantly impact employee engagement and retention. These managers demonstrate a genuine interest in their team members' growth, possess the ability to identify potential, provide constructive feedback, and create tailored development plans that align individual aspirations with organizational needs. When effectively applied, these skills create a positive ripple effect throughout an organization, fostering innovation, enhancing productivity, and building institutional knowledge.

Evaluating this competency requires understanding different dimensions based on managerial experience level. For entry-level managers, assess their approach to peer mentoring and theoretical understanding of development principles. Mid-level managers should demonstrate concrete coaching experiences and methodologies. Senior leaders should show strategic approaches to building development cultures and systems across multiple teams or departments. The best interview questions for this competency focus on past behaviors and specific examples rather than hypothetical scenarios.

Interview Questions

Tell me about the most successful example of developing a team member or direct report. What approaches did you use, and how did you measure success?

Areas to Cover:

• Specific development needs identified
• Methods and resources used for development
• How progress was monitored and measured
• How the candidate adjusted their approach if needed
• Results achieved and impact on the individual and team
• Follow-up after initial development goals were achieved
• How this experience shaped their approach to developing others

Follow-Up Questions:

• What made you choose that particular development approach for this individual?
• What challenges did you encounter during this development process, and how did you overcome them?
• How did you personalize the development plan to match this person's learning style?
• How did this development experience impact your team's overall performance?

Describe a time when you had to provide difficult feedback to help someone grow. How did you approach the conversation, and what was the outcome?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific performance or behavior issue being addressed
• How the candidate prepared for the conversation
• The approach and communication techniques used
• How they balanced honesty with sensitivity
• The employee's initial reaction and how it was handled
• Actions taken after the conversation
• Long-term impact on the relationship and the person's development

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you ensure the feedback was specific and actionable?
• What was your strategy for making the feedback constructive rather than critical?
• How did you follow up after the conversation to support improvement?
• What did you learn from this experience about delivering difficult feedback?

Tell me about a time when you identified hidden potential in someone that others hadn't recognized. How did you develop that potential?

Areas to Cover:

• How they identified the untapped potential
• Any resistance or skepticism they faced from others
• Specific actions taken to develop the individual
• How they gained the person's trust and buy-in
• Resources allocated to support the development
• Obstacles encountered and how they were overcome
• The ultimate outcome for the individual and organization

Follow-Up Questions:

• What indicators or behaviors helped you recognize this potential when others missed it?
• How did you convince the individual of their own capabilities?
• What specific strengths did you help them leverage in their development?
• How did this experience change your approach to talent assessment?

Share an example of when you helped someone overcome a significant performance gap or challenge. What was your approach?

Areas to Cover:

• The nature of the performance issue
• How they diagnosed the root cause
• The development plan they created
• How they communicated expectations and goals
• Support and resources provided
• How progress was monitored
• The individual's response to intervention
• Final outcome and lessons learned

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you distinguish between a skill gap and a motivation issue?
• What timeframe did you establish for improvement, and how did you determine that?
• What would you have done differently if the performance hadn't improved?
• How did you balance supporting this individual with meeting team goals?

Describe how you've built a development culture within a team. What specific practices or systems did you implement?

Areas to Cover:

• Their philosophy regarding talent development
• Specific programs or practices implemented
• How they allocated time and resources for development
• Methods used to encourage peer learning and knowledge sharing
• How they measured the effectiveness of development initiatives
• Challenges faced in creating the culture
• Evidence of the culture's impact on team performance and retention

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you get buy-in from team members who were initially resistant to development activities?
• What formal and informal development methods proved most effective?
• How did you balance immediate work priorities with long-term development needs?
• How did you recognize and celebrate growth and development achievements?

Tell me about a time when you had to develop someone with a very different background, skill set, or learning style from your own. How did you adapt your approach?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific differences that presented challenges
• How they assessed the person's needs and preferences
• Adaptations made to their usual development approach
• Resources or support they sought to bridge gaps
• Learning curve they experienced as a coach/developer
• Effectiveness of their adapted approach
• What they learned about their own flexibility and adaptability

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific techniques or resources did you find most helpful in bridging differences?
• How did this experience enhance your own development skills?
• What assumptions did you have to challenge in yourself?
• How has this experience influenced how you approach development with other team members?

Describe your approach to developing high-potential employees who are being groomed for leadership roles.

Areas to Cover:

• How they identify high-potential employees
• Their approach to assessing leadership readiness
• Specific development methods used for future leaders
• How they expose high-potentials to leadership experiences
• The balance between challenging and supporting
• How they measure leadership development progress
• Success stories or outcomes from their approach

Follow-Up Questions:

• How do you ensure your high-potential program is inclusive and doesn't overlook diverse talent?
• What specific leadership competencies do you focus on developing first?
• How do you prepare high-potentials for the human aspects of leadership?
• How do you handle situations where someone initially identified as high-potential doesn't progress as expected?

Tell me about a time when your development efforts didn't achieve the desired results. What happened, and what did you learn?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific situation and development goals
• Their approach and why it was chosen
• Early signs that the development wasn't working
• Actions taken to adjust or intervene
• Ultimate outcome and consequences
• Their reflection on what went wrong
• How this experience changed their development approach

Follow-Up Questions:

• At what point did you realize your approach wasn't working?
• What alternative approaches did you consider or try?
• How did you handle the conversation with the employee about the lack of progress?
• How have you applied these lessons to subsequent development situations?

Describe how you've successfully balanced developing people for long-term growth while still meeting short-term business objectives.

Areas to Cover:

• Their philosophy on balancing immediate needs vs. long-term development
• Specific strategies used to create development opportunities within regular work
• How they prioritize which development activities to focus on
• Methods for measuring both short-term results and long-term development
• Examples of when they had to make tough trade-offs
• How they communicated priorities to team members
• Results achieved in both areas

Follow-Up Questions:

• How do you make development decisions during particularly high-pressure business periods?
• How do you create development opportunities that also drive business results?
• What methods have you found most effective for developing people "in the flow of work"?
• How do you help team members see the connection between their development and business outcomes?

Share an example of how you've tailored your coaching style to meet the needs of different individuals on your team.

Areas to Cover:

• Their assessment of different team members' needs and preferences
• Various coaching approaches used with different individuals
• How they determined which approach to use with whom
• Adjustments made based on feedback or results
• Examples of when flexibility in approach led to better outcomes
• Limits or boundaries they set in their coaching relationships
• What they've learned about their own adaptability as a coach

Follow-Up Questions:

• How do you initially assess what coaching approach might work best for someone?
• How do you maintain consistency and fairness while using different approaches?
• What coaching approach feels most natural to you, and which requires more conscious effort?
• How do you handle situations where your preferred coaching style doesn't resonate with someone?

Tell me about a situation where you needed to develop someone remotely or in a hybrid work environment. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

Areas to Cover:

• Specific remote development challenges encountered
• Tools and technologies utilized
• Communication approaches and frequency
• How they built trust and connection remotely
• Methods for observing and providing feedback
• How they measured development progress
• Adaptations made from traditional in-person development

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific technologies or platforms did you find most effective for remote development?
• How did you create opportunities for informal learning that would naturally happen in an office?
• How did you ensure the person felt supported despite the physical distance?
• What aspects of development were easier remotely, and which were more challenging?

Describe a time when you had to develop multiple team members simultaneously, each with different needs. How did you approach this challenge?

Areas to Cover:

• How they assessed individual development needs
• Systems or processes created to manage multiple development plans
• How time and resources were allocated
• Group development activities vs. individual approaches
• Methods for tracking multiple development journeys
• Challenges encountered and how they were addressed
• Outcomes achieved across the team

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you decide which development needs to prioritize?
• What efficiencies did you find in developing multiple people concurrently?
• How did you prevent anyone from feeling overlooked or underserved?
• What did you learn about your capacity as a developer of people?

Tell me about how you've helped a team member develop "soft skills" like communication, collaboration, or emotional intelligence.

Areas to Cover:

• How they assessed the soft skill gaps
• Why they prioritized these particular skills
• Methods used to develop interpersonal capabilities
• How progress was measured for these subjective skills
• Feedback approaches used
• Challenges in developing abstract vs. technical skills
• Outcomes and improvements observed

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific techniques or resources did you find most effective for soft skill development?
• How did you make the development of these skills concrete and measurable?
• What resistance did you encounter, and how did you overcome it?
• How did the improvement in soft skills impact other aspects of performance?

Share an example of when you delegated a challenging assignment specifically to develop someone's skills. How did you support them while still allowing them to learn?

Areas to Cover:

• How they selected the assignment for developmental purposes
• The skills they intended to develop through the delegation
• How they prepared the person for the challenge
• The balance struck between support and autonomy
• How they monitored progress without micromanaging
• Intervention points if necessary
• The outcome for both the work and the person's development

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine this person was ready for this particular challenge?
• What guardrails did you put in place to prevent serious problems?
• How did you handle moments when they struggled or made mistakes?
• What would you do differently in your next developmental delegation?

Tell me about how you've incorporated formal and informal learning opportunities into your team's development plans.

Areas to Cover:

• Their philosophy on formal vs. informal learning
• Specific formal development programs or resources utilized
• How they create informal learning opportunities
• Methods for reinforcing formal learning on the job
• How they allocate budget and time for different types of learning
• Measuring the effectiveness of different learning approaches
• Examples of successful learning outcomes from both approaches

Follow-Up Questions:

• How do you determine which development needs are best addressed through formal vs. informal learning?
• What innovative informal learning approaches have you found most effective?
• How do you ensure learning is applied on the job?
• How do you build peer-to-peer learning into your team's culture?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are behavioral questions more effective than hypothetical questions when assessing people development skills?

Behavioral questions based on past experiences provide more reliable insights into a candidate's actual capabilities. They reveal what the manager has actually done rather than what they think they might do. Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance, especially for skills like developing people that require practical application rather than just theoretical knowledge. Hypothetical questions often elicit idealized answers that may not reflect how the person would actually handle a situation.

How should I evaluate a candidate with limited direct management experience but who claims strong people development skills?

Look for evidence of informal leadership, mentoring, or coaching experiences. Ask about peer mentoring, project leadership, volunteer work, or other situations where they've helped others grow. Probe for specific examples and outcomes, even if they weren't in a formal management role. Also, assess their self-awareness about development principles and their own learning journey, as these can indicate potential for developing others effectively.

What red flags should I watch for when assessing a candidate's people development skills?

Be cautious of candidates who: only discuss technical training rather than holistic development; take full credit for others' growth without acknowledging the individual's efforts; can't provide specific examples of development strategies; show limited interest in others' career aspirations; demonstrate a one-size-fits-all approach to development; or speak disparagingly about team members who struggled. Also watch for those who focus solely on high performers while ignoring average performers' development needs.

How many of these questions should I include in an interview?

For a thorough assessment, select 3-4 questions that align with the specific requirements of your managerial position. It's better to explore fewer questions deeply with robust follow-up than to cover many questions superficially. Choose questions that address different aspects of people development based on the role's seniority and the team's needs. Allow sufficient time for candidates to provide detailed examples and for you to ask meaningful follow-up questions.

How should I adapt these questions for different industries or types of teams?

Customize the questions by referencing specific development challenges relevant to your industry or team. For technical teams, you might focus more on questions about balancing technical and leadership skill development. For creative teams, emphasize questions about nurturing innovative thinking. For customer service teams, prioritize questions about developing client-facing skills. The core competency remains the same, but the context and examples should reflect your specific organizational environment.

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