Humility in leadership is the ability to accurately assess one's strengths and limitations, remain open to feedback and new ideas, and prioritize team success over personal recognition. This trait is increasingly recognized as essential for effective leadership because it enables leaders to cultivate psychological safety, encourage innovation, build stronger relationships, and develop high-performing teams.

When interviewing candidates for leadership roles, evaluating humility presents unique challenges since candidates naturally want to highlight their achievements. However, truly humble leaders demonstrate a distinct pattern of behaviors: they readily acknowledge their mistakes, share credit for successes, seek input from others regardless of hierarchy, continuously pursue personal growth, and create space for team members to develop and shine. By focusing your interview questions on these behavioral indicators, you can effectively assess whether a candidate possesses the genuine humility needed to lead with both confidence and openness.

Before jumping into specific questions, remember that assessing humility requires careful attention to both what candidates say and how they say it. Listen for pronouns (the frequency of "I" versus "we"), observe how they describe past achievements, and note whether they voluntarily acknowledge limitations without prompting. The most revealing insights often come from thoughtful follow-up questions that encourage candidates to move beyond prepared responses to share authentic experiences that demonstrate their leadership approach. With the right interview strategy, you can effectively evaluate this critical but sometimes elusive leadership quality.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you received difficult feedback about your leadership style. What was the feedback, how did you respond in the moment, and what actions did you take afterward?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific feedback received and the context in which it was given
• The candidate's initial reaction and emotional response
• Steps taken to reflect on and evaluate the validity of the feedback
• Concrete actions taken to address the feedback
• Follow-up with the person who provided the feedback
• Long-term changes implemented based on the feedback
• Impact of these changes on team relationships and effectiveness

Follow-Up Questions:

• What made this feedback particularly difficult to hear?
• How did your perspective on the feedback change between your initial reaction and your later reflection?
• Did you seek additional input from others after receiving this feedback?
• Looking back now, what would you have done differently in responding to this feedback?

Describe a significant leadership mistake you made and what you learned from it. How did this experience change your approach to leadership?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific mistake and the context in which it occurred
• How the candidate became aware it was a mistake
• How the candidate took responsibility for the error
• The impact of the mistake on team members or the organization
• Specific lessons learned from the experience
• How the candidate communicated about the mistake to stakeholders
• Changes implemented to prevent similar mistakes in the future

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you communicate this mistake to your team or other stakeholders?
• What was the hardest part about addressing this mistake?
• How have you applied what you learned to subsequent situations?
• What feedback did you receive from others about how you handled this situation?

Tell me about a project where your initial approach or idea turned out to be wrong. How did you realize it, and what did you do next?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific project and the candidate's initial approach
• How and when they realized their approach was flawed
• Whether they identified the issue themselves or if it was pointed out by others
• Their response when they realized the approach wasn't working
• How they communicated the need for a course correction to stakeholders
• The process of developing and implementing a new approach
• Ultimate outcomes of the project after the course correction

Follow-Up Questions:

• What signals or feedback helped you recognize that your approach wasn't working?
• How difficult was it for you to acknowledge that a change was needed?
• How did your team respond to the change in direction?
• What did this experience teach you about your decision-making process?

Describe a time when someone on your team challenged your thinking or disagreed with your approach. How did you handle it?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific situation and the nature of the disagreement
• How the candidate initially responded to being challenged
• Whether they genuinely considered the alternative perspective
• The decision-making process that followed
• How the relationship with the team member evolved after the disagreement
• Whether the candidate changed their approach based on the input
• What the candidate learned from this interaction

Follow-Up Questions:

• What was your initial internal reaction when your approach was challenged?
• How did you ensure this person felt heard and respected during the discussion?
• If you ultimately didn't adopt their suggestion, how did you communicate your reasoning?
• How has this experience influenced how you handle disagreement or criticism now?

Tell me about a significant accomplishment that your team achieved under your leadership. How did various team members contribute to this success?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific accomplishment and its significance
• How the candidate describes the contributions of different team members
• Balance between highlighting personal contributions and team efforts
• Whether the candidate voluntarily shares credit without prompting
• How success was celebrated and recognized
• Whether the candidate mentions their own limitations or learning during the project
• How the candidate leveraged team members' strengths

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you recognize and celebrate individual contributions to this success?
• Were there any team members who made critical contributions that might not have been obvious to others?
• In what ways did you rely on your team's expertise or skills to overcome challenges?
• What personal limitations did you become aware of during this project?

Describe a situation where you needed expertise or knowledge you didn't possess. How did you approach this gap?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific knowledge or skill gap the candidate faced
• How readily they acknowledged their limitation
• Steps taken to identify appropriate resources or expertise
• Whether they sought help from team members or other sources
• How they incorporated others' expertise into their decision-making
• What they learned from the experience
• How this experience influenced their approach to future knowledge gaps

Follow-Up Questions:

• How comfortable were you acknowledging this knowledge gap to your team?
• What criteria did you use to identify the right person to help with this challenge?
• How did you balance relying on others' expertise while maintaining your leadership role?
• How has this experience shaped how you approach situations where you don't have all the answers?

Tell me about a time when someone on your team had a better idea or solution than you did. How did you handle it?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific situation and the alternative idea proposed
• How the candidate recognized the idea was better than their own
• Their response to the team member who proposed the idea
• How they implemented or incorporated the better idea
• How credit was given for the idea
• The impact of the idea on project outcomes
• What the candidate learned from this experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• At what point did you realize their idea was better than yours?
• How did you communicate to the team that you were changing direction?
• How did you ensure the person received appropriate credit for their contribution?
• Has this experience changed how you solicit or evaluate ideas from your team?

Describe a time when you had to make a decision with incomplete information. How did you approach it, and what did you learn?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific decision context and why information was limited
• How the candidate assessed and acknowledged the uncertainty
• Whether they sought input from others during the process
• How they communicated the limitations to stakeholders
• The decision-making framework they used despite incomplete information
• The outcome of the decision
• How they reflected on and learned from the experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you communicate the uncertainty to your team or stakeholders?
• Whose input did you seek in making this decision, and why those people?
• If you had to make a similar decision now, what would you do differently?
• How has this experience shaped your approach to decision-making under uncertainty?

Tell me about a time when you were wrong about an important leadership decision. How did you realize it, and what did you do next?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific decision and its importance
• How and when the candidate realized they were wrong
• Whether they acknowledged the error proactively or reactively
• How they communicated about the mistake to relevant stakeholders
• Steps taken to correct the course or mitigate negative impacts
• What the candidate learned from the experience
• How this experience influenced their future decision-making

Follow-Up Questions:

• What signals or feedback helped you realize you had made the wrong decision?
• How quickly did you acknowledge the mistake once you realized it?
• What was most challenging about admitting you were wrong in this situation?
• How did your team respond to your acknowledgment of the mistake?

Describe how you've created opportunities for team members to grow and develop under your leadership. Can you share a specific example of someone who flourished with your support?

Areas to Cover:

• The candidate's general approach to developing team members
• A specific example with concrete details about the team member's growth
• How the candidate identified development opportunities
• Actions taken to support the team member's growth
• How the candidate balanced providing support with giving autonomy
• Whether the team member's growth may have eventually surpassed the candidate in some areas
• Recognition given to the team member for their achievements

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify this person's potential or development needs?
• What specific actions did you take to support their growth?
• How did you balance providing guidance with allowing them to learn through experience?
• How did their development benefit the broader team or organization?

Tell me about a time when you had to adapt your leadership style based on feedback or changing circumstances. What specifically did you change and why?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific feedback received or circumstances that prompted change
• How the candidate recognized the need to adapt
• Their process for reflecting on and deciding what to change
• Specific behavioral changes implemented
• Challenges faced in making these adaptations
• How they assessed the effectiveness of the changes
• The impact of these changes on team dynamics and outcomes

Follow-Up Questions:

• What was most difficult about making this adaptation to your leadership style?
• How did you communicate these changes to your team?
• How did you measure whether these changes were effective?
• What did this experience teach you about your leadership flexibility?

Describe a time when you helped a struggling team member improve their performance. What was your approach?

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate identified the performance issue
• Their initial conversation with the team member about the concerns
• Whether they sought to understand root causes of the performance issues
• Specific support or resources provided to help the team member improve
• How they balanced accountability with support
• The outcome of their intervention
• What the candidate learned from this experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you approach the initial conversation about performance concerns?
• What did you learn about the root causes of their performance challenges?
• How did you involve the team member in developing the improvement plan?
• What aspects of your approach to this situation would you repeat or change in the future?

Tell me about a time when you had to admit to your team that you didn't know the answer or weren't sure about the right direction. How did you handle this situation?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific context and significance of the uncertainty
• How the candidate communicated this uncertainty to the team
• Their approach to maintaining leadership while acknowledging limitations
• Steps taken to find answers or determine direction
• How they involved the team in addressing the uncertainty
• The ultimate resolution and outcomes
• Impact on team trust and dynamics

Follow-Up Questions:

• What concerns did you have about admitting uncertainty to your team?
• How did your team react to your acknowledgment?
• What process did you use to find answers or determine direction?
• How did this experience influence how you handle similar situations now?

Describe a situation where you had to balance confidence in your vision with openness to input and adaptation. How did you navigate this tension?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific situation and why this tension existed
• How the candidate communicated their vision or direction
• Their process for soliciting and evaluating input
• Specific examples of how they adapted based on feedback
• How they maintained team confidence during periods of adaptation
• The balance they struck between conviction and flexibility
• The ultimate outcome and what they learned

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine which aspects of your vision were core and which were adaptable?
• What signals helped you recognize when to stand firm versus when to adapt?
• How did you communicate changes in direction to maintain team confidence?
• What did this experience teach you about balancing conviction with humility?

Tell me about a time when you inherited a team or project with significant problems. How did you approach understanding the issues before making changes?

Areas to Cover:

• The specific situation and nature of the problems inherited
• The candidate's process for diagnosing issues before acting
• How they sought input from team members or stakeholders
• Their approach to balancing quick wins with longer-term solutions
• How they handled responsibility for issues they didn't create
• The implementation of solutions and their effectiveness
• What they learned from this experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you build trust with the team while assessing the problems?
• Whose perspectives did you seek in understanding the situation, and why?
• How did you determine which issues to address first?
• What preconceptions did you have that changed after learning more about the situation?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is humility important to assess in leadership candidates?

Humble leaders create psychologically safe environments where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and taking risks. Research shows that humble leadership correlates with higher employee engagement, better team collaboration, increased innovation, and lower turnover. Despite common misconceptions, humility is not weakness—rather, it's the foundation of learning agility and sustainable leadership effectiveness.

How can I tell if a candidate is genuinely humble or just saying what they think I want to hear?

Look for consistency across their responses and specific, detailed examples that demonstrate humble behaviors. Pay attention to language patterns (frequent use of "we" rather than "I"), whether they voluntarily share credit without prompting, and if they naturally acknowledge limitations without defensiveness. Ask follow-up questions that probe deeper into situations they describe to move beyond rehearsed answers. The most revealing insights often come when candidates discuss failures or mistakes.

Should I weight humility equally for all leadership positions?

While humility is valuable in any leadership role, its relative importance may vary based on the specific challenges of the position. For roles requiring significant change management, innovation, or team development, humility may be particularly critical. For highly technical or specialized leadership roles, balance the assessment of humility with thorough evaluation of technical expertise. Consider your organizational culture as well—in learning organizations with flatter hierarchies, humble leadership typically creates more value.

How do I balance assessing humility with evaluating a candidate's confidence and decisiveness?

The best leaders demonstrate both humility and confidence—they're not mutually exclusive. Look for candidates who can clearly articulate their vision and decisions while remaining open to input and adaptation. During interviews, note whether candidates can confidently describe situations where they changed direction based on new information or team input. True confidence is demonstrated by being secure enough to acknowledge limitations and value others' contributions.

How can we develop humility in our existing leadership team?

Create structures that reinforce humble leadership behaviors, such as 360-degree feedback processes, team decision-making frameworks, and mentoring programs. Recognize and reward leaders who demonstrate humility through public acknowledgment of their behaviors. Consider leadership development programs that include self-awareness components and feedback training. Most importantly, model humble leadership at the highest levels of the organization to create a culture where these behaviors are valued and emulated.

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