Developing people is a cornerstone capability for HR managers, encompassing the ability to coach, mentor, and grow talent throughout an organization. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), effective people development involves "cultivating talent and creating opportunities for growth that align individual aspirations with organizational goals." In the HR manager context, this competency is demonstrated through identifying potential, providing constructive feedback, creating meaningful development plans, and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

HR managers with strong people development skills drive significant organizational benefits. They enhance employee engagement and retention by showing genuine investment in career growth. They strengthen the talent pipeline by systematically building capabilities across the workforce. Additionally, effective people developers facilitate knowledge transfer, accelerate learning curves, and create resilient teams that can adapt to business changes. The best HR managers approach developing people through multiple dimensions: one-on-one coaching, structured development programs, feedback mechanisms, and creating systems that enable continuous learning throughout the organization.

When evaluating candidates for this competency, interviewers should listen for evidence of a structured approach to development, a growth mindset, and the ability to tailor development strategies to individual needs. The most promising candidates will demonstrate how they've balanced immediate performance needs with long-term capability building and how they've measured the impact of their development efforts. As research from Yardstick shows, organizations that excel at developing their people create sustainable competitive advantages through their human capital.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you successfully developed the skills or capabilities of a direct report or team member who was struggling in their role.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate identified the development need
• The specific approach used to develop the individual
• How they tailored the development plan to the person's needs and learning style
• Challenges encountered during the process
• How they measured improvement
• The ultimate outcome for the individual and the organization
• Whether this approach informed future development efforts

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific skills or capabilities were you focusing on developing?
• How did you gain buy-in from the individual for the development plan?
• What feedback mechanisms did you put in place to track progress?
• How did you adjust your approach when you encountered resistance or plateaus?

Describe a structured development program or initiative that you designed and implemented for your team or organization.

Areas to Cover:

• The business need that prompted the development program
• The process for designing the program
• The key components and structure of the program
• How the candidate ensured the program was effective
• Metrics used to measure success
• Challenges faced during implementation
• How the program evolved based on feedback

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify the specific skills or capabilities that needed development?
• What resources did you need to secure, and how did you make the business case?
• How did you ensure the program was accessible and relevant to different learning styles?
• What would you do differently if you were to implement this program again?

Share an example of how you've coached someone through a difficult transition or into a more challenging role.

Areas to Cover:

• The specific transition or challenge the person was facing
• How the candidate prepared for the coaching relationship
• The coaching approach and techniques used
• How they balanced support with challenging the individual
• The frequency and structure of coaching interactions
• How they measured success
• The ultimate outcome for the individual

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you establish trust in the coaching relationship?
• What was the most challenging aspect of coaching this individual?
• How did you adjust your coaching style to match their needs?
• What feedback did you receive about your coaching effectiveness?

Tell me about a time when you had to deliver difficult feedback to help someone grow.

Areas to Cover:

• The context and importance of the feedback
• How the candidate prepared to deliver the feedback
• The approach used to ensure the feedback was constructive
• How they managed any emotional reactions
• The follow-up plan they created
• The impact the feedback had on the person's development
• What the candidate learned about delivering effective feedback

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine the right timing and environment for this conversation?
• What framework or model did you use for structuring the feedback?
• How did you ensure the feedback was specific and actionable?
• How did the relationship evolve after this feedback conversation?

Describe a situation where you identified potential in someone that others had overlooked, and how you helped develop that potential.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate recognized the hidden potential
• What specific potential they saw that others missed
• The approach used to develop this potential
• How they advocated for this person in the organization
• Challenges faced in developing someone others had underestimated
• The outcome for the individual and any broader impact on the organization
• Lessons learned about talent identification

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific qualities or behaviors indicated untapped potential to you?
• How did you help the individual recognize their own potential?
• What resistance did you encounter from others, and how did you address it?
• How did this experience influence your approach to talent assessment?

Tell me about a time when you had to develop a team with diverse skill levels and experience.

Areas to Cover:

• The composition and challenges of the team
• How the candidate assessed individual development needs
• The strategy for developing the team collectively and individually
• How they balanced competing development priorities
• Methods used to create peer learning opportunities
• How they measured progress for individuals and the team
• The ultimate impact on team performance

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you ensure more experienced team members remained engaged while developing newer members?
• What techniques did you use to foster knowledge sharing across the team?
• How did you address resistance from team members who felt they didn't need development?
• What systems or processes did you put in place to sustain team development?

Share an example of how you've created a learning culture within your team or organization.

Areas to Cover:

• The initial state of the learning culture before their intervention
• The vision they had for the desired learning culture
• Specific actions taken to shape the culture
• How they modeled continuous learning themselves
• Systems or processes implemented to support learning
• Challenges faced in changing the culture
• Evidence of the culture shift and its impact

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you address resistance to the cultural shift?
• What metrics or indicators did you use to measure cultural change?
• How did you recognize and reward learning behaviors?
• What structures or routines did you implement to sustain the learning culture?

Describe a situation where your development of an employee or team directly impacted business results.

Areas to Cover:

• The business challenge or opportunity that necessitated development
• The specific development approach taken
• How the development was tied to business objectives
• How the candidate measured both development progress and business impact
• The quantifiable business results achieved
• Recognition or visibility gained from the effort
• Lessons learned about connecting development to business outcomes

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify which capabilities would have the greatest business impact?
• How did you communicate the connection between development and business results to stakeholders?
• What challenges did you face in measuring the business impact of development?
• How did this experience influence your approach to making the business case for development?

Tell me about a time when you had to address a skill gap across multiple employees or an entire team.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate identified the skill gap
• The business impact of the skill gap
• The approach taken to address the gap at scale
• How they balanced immediate needs with long-term development
• Resources required and how they were secured
• Methods used to measure progress
• The outcome and any lessons learned

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you prioritize which skills to address first?
• What mix of approaches (training, coaching, etc.) did you use, and why?
• How did you ensure consistent skill development across different individuals?
• What systems did you put in place to sustain the new skills?

Share an example of when you successfully transitioned someone into a leadership role.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate identified leadership potential
• The preparation process before the transition
• The development plan created for the new leader
• How they provided support during the transition
• Challenges the new leader faced and how the candidate helped overcome them
• The new leader's growth and impact in the role
• Lessons learned about developing leadership capabilities

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific leadership capabilities did you focus on developing?
• How did you help them shift their mindset from individual contributor to leader?
• How did you balance providing support while allowing them to establish their own leadership style?
• What feedback mechanisms did you establish to accelerate their leadership development?

Describe a time when a development intervention you planned didn't work as expected, and how you adapted.

Areas to Cover:

• The initial development plan and its objectives
• How the candidate recognized it wasn't working
• The analysis conducted to understand why
• The adjustments made to the approach
• How they communicated the changes to stakeholders
• The ultimate outcome after adaptation
• Key lessons learned about flexibility in development

Follow-Up Questions:

• What early indicators suggested the intervention wasn't effective?
• How did you gather feedback from participants to inform your adaptation?
• What was most challenging about pivoting from your original plan?
• How did this experience influence your future development planning?

Tell me about your approach to developing individuals with different learning styles or preferences.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate assesses different learning styles or preferences
• Examples of adapting development approaches for different individuals
• Specific techniques used for different types of learners
• Challenges encountered when working with styles different from their own
• The effectiveness of their adapted approaches
• How they've built this adaptability into broader development programs
• Continuous learning about effective development techniques

Follow-Up Questions:

• How do you identify someone's learning preferences without relying solely on self-reporting?
• Can you provide an example of when you significantly shifted your approach for a particular learner?
• How do you balance accommodating learning preferences with pushing people out of their comfort zones?
• What resources or tools have you found most helpful for different types of learners?

Share an example of how you've used mentoring or coaching to develop talent within your organization.

Areas to Cover:

• The distinction the candidate makes between mentoring and coaching
• How they structured the program or relationship
• Their approach to matching mentors/coaches with mentees
• Training or support provided to mentors/coaches
• How they measured the effectiveness of the relationships
• The impact on individual and organizational performance
• Lessons learned about effective mentoring/coaching

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you ensure the relationships remained productive over time?
• What guidelines or frameworks did you provide to structure the interactions?
• How did you address matches that weren't working well?
• What unexpected benefits emerged from the mentoring or coaching program?

Describe a situation where you had to develop a successor for your role or another key position.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate identified potential successors
• The development plan created for succession
• Timeline and milestones established
• How they balanced current responsibilities with development
• Challenges encountered during the succession planning
• The ultimate readiness of the successor
• Impact on the organization's talent pipeline

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify which aspects of the role would be most challenging for your successor?
• What approaches did you use to transfer tacit knowledge, not just explicit responsibilities?
• How did you manage stakeholder relationships during the transition?
• What feedback mechanisms did you establish to ensure the successor's readiness?

Tell me about how you've used assessment tools or frameworks to guide employee development.

Areas to Cover:

• Specific assessment tools or frameworks the candidate has utilized
• How they selected appropriate assessments for different needs
• Their process for debriefing assessment results
• How they translated assessment insights into development actions
• Ensuring assessments were used ethically and effectively
• The impact of assessment-based development
• Limitations they've observed with assessment tools

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you ensure assessments were used developmentally rather than punitively?
• What combination of assessments have you found most valuable for comprehensive development?
• How did you help individuals act on assessment insights rather than just acknowledge them?
• What challenges have you faced in implementing assessment-based development?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why focus on behavioral questions when assessing a candidate's ability to develop people?

Behavioral questions provide insight into how candidates have actually approached people development in the past, which is the best predictor of future performance. Hypothetical questions may reveal what candidates know they should do, but behavioral questions reveal what they've actually done when faced with real challenges and constraints.

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

For an HR Manager role where developing people is a key competency, select 3-4 questions that cover different aspects of people development (such as coaching, program development, and creating learning cultures). This allows for depth while ensuring comprehensive coverage. Remember to include follow-up questions to probe beyond initial responses.

How should I evaluate candidates who have limited direct management experience but show potential in developing others?

Look for evidence of informal mentoring, peer coaching, or team leadership that demonstrates their approach to developing others. Ask about how they've helped colleagues grow, facilitated knowledge sharing, or contributed to a learning environment. These experiences can provide valuable insights into their developmental mindset and potential.

What red flags should I watch for in candidates' responses to these questions?

Be cautious of candidates who: 1) Focus solely on formal training rather than a blend of development approaches, 2) Take full credit for others' development without acknowledging the individual's role, 3) Cannot provide specific examples with measurable outcomes, 4) Show little adaptation to different individuals' needs, or 5) Demonstrate a fixed rather than growth mindset toward others' capabilities.

How can I ensure these questions help identify candidates who will excel at developing people in our specific organizational context?

Consider your organization's development culture and challenges when selecting questions. If you're building a learning culture, prioritize questions about cultural change. If developing future leaders is crucial, focus on leadership development questions. Add context to your questions by mentioning specific organizational challenges the HR Manager would need to address.

Interested in a full interview guide with Developing People for HR Manager Roles as a key trait? Sign up for Yardstick and build it for free.