Business presentation template
Speaker cue cards for a general business presentation: a clear opening, the key message, three supporting points with evidence, a recommendation, next steps and a strong close with Q and A.
Speech8 cardsAbout 2 min to speakIntermediateWork
Leadership interview question answer template
Cue cards for 'Give an example of when you showed leadership', covering setting direction, bringing people with you, handling a setback and what the team achieved, with or without a formal title.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
Leadership without a title counts
Good examples include:
- Leading a project, shift, event or club
- Stepping up when someone was away
- Getting people to change how they work
- Mentoring a new starter
- Turning round a struggling piece of work
- 2
The starting point
At [organisation], [team or group] needed to [goal], but [the problem: no plan, low morale, a missed target, a gap in leadership].
I [was asked / volunteered / was the only person able] to take it on.
- 3
Setting direction
My first step was to make the goal clear: [what success looked like, by when].
I [how you shared it: a short meeting, a one-page plan, a board on the wall].
- 4
Bringing people with me
I spoke with each person about [their strengths, worries or workload], and gave [name or role] responsibility for [task] because [reason].
For [the sceptical person], I [how you won them over: listened, gave a small win, showed the data].
- 5
When it got hard
Halfway through, [setback: a person left, a supplier failed, the deadline moved].
I [your decision], and I told the team [how you communicated it honestly].
- 6
What we achieved
In the end we [result], [measure: on time, under budget, higher score, positive feedback].
[Name or role] went on to [growth for someone in the team], which I was particularly pleased about.
- 7
My leadership style
That example sums up how I lead: I [two habits, e.g. set a clear goal and then give people room to own their part].
I am still working on [one honest area], for example by [step].
- 8
Link to this role
In this role, with [team size or situation from the advert], I would bring the same approach to [challenge you expect].
How to use this template
Leadership questions come up for team lead and manager roles, but also for graduate schemes and senior individual roles, because organisations want people who take ownership. This template helps you show leadership as a set of actions rather than a job title: setting direction, bringing people with you, handling a setback and celebrating what the team achieved. The first card offers examples of leadership you may not have thought to use. The middle cards tell one story in order, and the last two cards turn that story into a description of your style and connect it to the job you want. Use it for questions like 'Tell me about a time you led a team', 'How would you describe your management style?' and 'Describe a time you took the initiative'.
Tips
- Give credit to the team in the result, but make sure your own decisions are clear in the middle cards.
- Include the setback card even if the story ended well; how you handled difficulty is what separates a leader from a coordinator.
- Mention one person by role rather than name, and what you did for them; interviewers listen for whether you develop people.
- Keep the style card honest. A style that matches your story is more believable than a list of buzzwords.
- If you have led at different levels, prepare two stories: one small and recent, one larger and older, and pick based on the role.
- Avoid stories where you simply told people what to do and they did it; interviewers want to hear how you persuaded, coached or adapted.
Make it fit
- For a first management role, use examples of informal leadership and say what you have learned from managers you admired.
- For senior roles, choose an example that involved leading leaders, managing a budget or changing a process across teams.
- For public sector or not-for-profit roles, the setback card might involve funding, regulation or community expectations.
- For remote teams, add how you kept people connected: regular check-ins, clear written plans, or a shared channel.
- For a 30-second version, use the starting point, one action and the result cards only.
Updated October 28, 2026