How To Answer “How Do You Like to Be Managed?”

While you can never really tell what questions you’ll encounter in a job interview, there are a few that are more common than others. One of these is, “How do you like to be managed?” This may sound like a trick question, but in this article, we’ll show you how to answer this tactfully and informatively.

Key Takeaways

• Focus on the positives and explain how you do like being managed, versus how you don’t like being managed.

• Frame negative experiences as learning opportunities.

• Avoid talking about topics that involve your managers that were not work-related, like after-hours drinking adventures with coworkers.

• Research what the company is looking for in an employee and think about how it meshes with what you are looking for in a job.

Why Do Employers Ask “How Do You Like to Be Managed?”

Employers ask “how do you like to be managed” to determine whether you’ll be a good fit on the team. A hiring manager or recruiter might not be your direct supervisor if you’re hired, but they may have a close working relationship with your supervisor. They know that how well you gel with your boss is just as important as your qualifications and accomplishments for forecasting your success in the future.

You’ve read the job description, and you know this sort of job interview question is quite common (even in phone interviews). It’s important to be honest because this directly relates to your day-to-day working relationship with a future manager. Interview questions and answers aren’t just for fun – they help determine how good of a fit this potential professional relationship is.

You’re not doing anyone any favors by trying to people please, so be prepared with a response using our interview tips below and you’ll have your dream job in no time.

How to Answer “How Do You Like to Be Managed”

In order to craft your answer to this question before the interview, you will have to do a little research. Before you can answer this question in an interview, you will need to be able to answer it yourself.

1. Ask yourself questions. What do you look for in a manager? What do you look for in a team or work environment? Do you like more management or do you like more independence? How would you like that relationship to change over time?

2. Consider what worked for you in the past. To start answering these questions, think back to a time where you really liked your work environment. Come up with a list of experiences where you did like how you worked with your managers and why you liked it.

3. Frame negative experiences positively. It is OK to mention aspects of management you didn’t like, but frame it as a learning experience. They will likely ask you what didn’t work well with you in the past, so think of answers to these questions in advance.

4. Research the company. Once you know what you want in a manager and in a work environment, you will need to research how you will fit in with the company. It’s great to know how you like to be managed, but if that management style isn’t in tune with the company, the job likely won’t be a good fit.

   For example, if you say you only work well in start-up work environments and you are applying to a massive corporation, they may dismiss you as a potential employee because of the work fit.

   To find out what the company looks for in an employee, research how the company you are applying for is organized. Take a look at their social media pages, LinkedIn, their profile on Zippia and on company reviews sites like Glassdoor.

   Research the company values and ask yourself, do they match my own? If they do, find ways to incorporate that into how you like to be managed.

5. Be prepared with examples. An interview tip that works for pretty much every common interview question a recruiter or hiring manager could ask you: be prepared with stories. Whether you’re talking about career goals, strengths, or weaknesses, good interviewing practice requires a story to go along with your claims

   Come up with examples of times when a management style worked for you (or didn’t) and provide some insight into what you learned from the experience. Recruiters and hiring managers want to know that you see yourself what works and what doesn’t.

6. Understand behavioral interview questions. Behavioral interview questions and answers are all about determining what worked in the past so you can succeed in the future. They’re different from softball questions like “tell me about yourself,” and include questions like “tell me about a time you failed” instead.

   Behavioral interview questions ask about past behavior, so answering requires you to form questions to ask yourself first and foremost. A lot of common interview questions are behavioral, so practice with the STAR method (situation, task, action, result), and you’ll have a winning answer for each and every one.

7. Think of questions to ask the hiring manager. Since you’re talking about management styles anyway, this is a good time to ask the recruiter or hiring manager about how you’re likely to be managed at this position. You could say something like “tell me about your management style.” Just don’t go overboard here; you’re still the one interviewing, after all.

8. Avoid certain topics. Finally, make sure you avoid certain topics when talking about what you look for in a manager and how you like to be managed. Keep the answer work-related. Everyone loves being able to go out with coworkers and managers for happy hour after work, but that’s not what needs to be talked about in an interview.

   At the end of the day, they want to know how you can fit into their work environment and how to best utilize your skills to get the best deliverables.

   Avoid partying topics, trash-talking old companies and managers, and negative stories. Shape your experiences so that you can show how you will best fit into the position you are applying for.

“How Do You Like to Be Managed” Example Answers

Here are some example answers to help you craft the perfect response about how you like to be managed:

1. I like a dynamic work environment in which coworkers work together as a team. I like having clear direction on tasks and projects from my manager, with the ability to meet and collaborate with them on projects. However, once my part on the project is clear, I like being able to work independently and then bring my work to the table with my teammates.

2. I like working closely with my managers and knowing what my tasks are in advance. I am fine working independently or in teams on projects. I like brainstorming independently and bringing my ideas to the table to help drive innovation on projects. I welcome any and all feedback from my managers to improve as an employee.

3. I enjoy having a lot of creative freedom on projects and being able to individualize my deliverables. My relationship with managers is usually a mentee-mentor relationship, in that they help give me direction and guidance during projects. I am deadline-driven but work best at my own pace within deadlines. I like knowing that my managers can trust me to do a good job at the task and know that I will ask for help if needed.

Examples of Bad Answers

Sometimes it can be just has helpful to see what not to do as it is to see what to do, so here are some examples of answers to the question, “How do you like to be managed?” that you should never use:

1. I’m great with anything, really. I don’t have a huge preference.

2. I really hate being micromanaged. I need to be able to do things my way at my speed.

3. My last boss was really my ideal manager. She was tough but kind, hardworking but fun, and one time she bought the whole office drinks when we had to stay late to finish a project.

How to Be Prepared for “How Do You Like to Be Managed” Interview Question

This is a question you should have prepared an answer for in advance. Crafting your answer beforehand allows you to tease out experiences that were positive and highlight you as an employee versus focusing on management types that you dislike.

The purpose of this question is to find out how you interact with coworkers and managers. They want to know how you feel you best fit in the company and after hearing your answer, they will determine if they think you are a good fit.

Generally, they want to find someone who can do two things: work independently and work well with oversight. Doing research into the company’s team dynamics is an important step in finding out what they’re looking for in a candidate.

They are also looking to see how you view relationships with managers that may have not worked well. When you first think of how you want to be managed, you are likely thinking of the exact opposite: how you do not want to be managed.

The last thing your interviewer wants to hear is several stories of you bashing old managers. If you are open to speaking negatively about previous managers, what does that say about you if you don’t mesh well with your new manager?

Most people have had a negative experience or two, so crafting your response in an interview to show your experiences as constructive, versus negative, is crucial.

“How Do You Like to be Managed?” FAQs

1. How do you answer “How do you like to be managed?”

   You answer “How do you like to be managed?” by thinking through your past experience, framing your answer in a positive way, and researching the culture of the company.

   Your past experience with managers and other authorities will inform you of how you actually like to be managed, but you want to make sure you state your answer in a positive way, even if those experiences were negative.

   Focus on what you do like instead of what you don’t, and look into the company culture to try to get a feel for what they value in managerial styles. Then, if you can, try to align your answer with that as much as is truthful.

2. What are the types of management styles?

   The types of management styles are autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire. These are the three overarching management styles, but there are many more that fall into those categories.

   The autocratic style is typically the most authoritarian style with a boss giving orders without much — if any — feedback or input from their employees. The democratic style, on the other hand, still leaves the authority with the boss but invites collaboration with employees in decision- and policy-making.

   The laissez-faire managment style is the most hands-off of the three styles, where the boss might assign work but not get involved again unless the employees ask for their help.

3. What does, “How do you like to be managed?” mean?

   “How do you like to be managed?” means the interviewer is asking what kind of leadership you thrive under and your expectations for your relationship with your boss.

   You may prefer more authoritarian leadership that simply gives orders, for example, or you may prefer a more collaborative approach or even one that gets minimally involved with your work.

   Interviewers ask this question because they want to know if you’ll mesh well with their organization’s culture and your future boss’s management style.

Final Thoughts

Being asked how you like to be managed in an interview can be scary if you did not prepare an answer beforehand. However, taking the time to craft a response beforehand shows that you thought deeply about what you are looking for in a position and how you will best fit into the company’s framework.

If you need to research a company, check them out on Zippia. If you need more career advice, we have several articles to help you ace your interview and get the job you want.

Author

Heidi Cope

Heidi Cope is a former writer for the Zippia Career Advice blog. Her writing focused primarily on Zippia's suite of rankings and general career advice. After leaving Zippia, Heidi joined The Mighty as a writer and editor, among other positions. She received her BS from UNC Charlotte in German Studies.