Developing Self and Others interview questions test whether you can recognise a learning need and turn it into improved capability.
They may focus on your own development, somebody you coached, a person you delegated to or how you prepared a team for future work.
If you are still writing the application, use the Developing Self and Others 250-word statement guide.
What the panel is looking for
The panel is interested in the choices behind the development: how you diagnosed the need, why the method suited the person and how you knew the support had worked.
At senior grades, they may expect evidence that development is fair, linked to future capability and embedded across a team rather than dependent on one enthusiastic manager.
Common Developing Self and Others interview questions
| Theme | Example question |
|---|---|
| Coaching | Tell me about a time you coached somebody to improve their performance or confidence. |
| Delegation | Describe a time you used delegation to develop another person. |
| Own development | Tell me about feedback that caused you to change how you work. |
| Capability gap | Give an example of when you identified a skill gap in your team and addressed it. |
| Different needs | Tell me about a time you adapted development for two people with different needs. |
| Future capability | Describe how you prepared a team for work it had not done before. |
| Setback | Tell me about a development approach that did not work initially and what you changed. |
A small set of real development stories is more useful than rehearsing a different speech for every question on a list.
Use B-STAR to keep the answer focused
A concise Belief can explain your approach to development. Situation and Task only need enough context for the panel to understand the gap; Action and Result should show the capability growing.
I try to make development practical and progressively less dependent on me. The aim is not to prove that I can coach; it is for the other person to become capable of owning the work themselves.
Full worked interview answer
Question: Tell me about a time you developed somebody who was technically strong but lacked confidence in an important part of their role.
I try to make development practical and progressively less dependent on me. The aim is not to prove that I can coach; it is for the other person to become capable of owning the work themselves.
As an SEO, I managed an HEO who produced strong analysis but avoided presenting it to senior stakeholders. They were comfortable answering technical questions one-to-one, but in larger meetings they relied on me to explain their recommendations.
We agreed that being able to lead those discussions was important for their current role and future progression.
I asked them to choose one upcoming recommendation they knew well and we rehearsed the meeting together. Instead of giving presentation tips generally, I focused feedback on two things I had observed: they led with too much technical detail and tended to answer challenge before checking what the stakeholder was actually concerned about.
For the first senior meeting, they presented while I attended only as support. Afterwards we reviewed which questions had been difficult and rewrote the opening in plainer language. At the next meeting I did not attend; they led it with a colleague and sent me their own reflection before we discussed it.
Over the following months they led stakeholder discussions independently and no longer needed me to present their analysis. They later used the same rehearsal approach with a newer analyst, which showed the development had become part of how the team supported each other.
Why this answer works
The candidate does not diagnose the colleague as simply “lacking confidence”. They identify two observable behaviours that can be worked on.
The support is staged. The candidate is present initially, then deliberately removes themselves as the colleague becomes more capable.
Reflection belongs to the colleague as well as the manager, which keeps the development two-way rather than turning it into a sequence of instructions.
The final detail about the newer analyst shows the capability spreading through the team rather than ending with one person.
Want more questions and worked development examples?
The grade-specific interview guides cover all nine behaviours with worked questions and answers at your level, helping you show what changed in somebody's capability rather than simply listing training or feedback activity.
Expect follow-up questions
Development answers are often tested through the detail of the support you gave. Follow-ups could include:
One likely question is: How did you know the colleague wanted this development rather than feeling pushed into it?
They may also ask: What would you have done if the first meeting had gone badly?
Another useful probe would be: Why did you focus on those two behaviours?
You could also hear: How did you decide when to step back completely?
A final follow-up might be: What did you learn about your own coaching style from the experience?
What changes by grade?
AA/AO
Recognise your own learning gaps, act on feedback, make time to develop and share what you learn with colleagues.
EO
Identify development needs across yourself and the team, support learning plans, use delegation to build capability and listen to developmental feedback.
HEO/SEO
Plan for current and future capability, coach and mentor colleagues, adapt development to individual needs and use feedback to improve team performance.
G6/7
Role-model continuous development, build capability for future objectives, widen access to learning and use lessons from teams to improve organisational plans and processes.
Bring evidence of progress
Think about what the person could do at the end that they could not do at the start. That is much more persuasive than listing coaching sessions.
Prepare an example of your own learning too
Some panels will turn the behaviour back on you. Have a genuine piece of feedback or development where your own way of working changed as a result.
When somebody resists development
Not everyone will welcome your first suggestion. A colleague may disagree that there is a gap, worry about being exposed or simply prefer a different way of learning.
A good coaching answer listens to that concern and agrees a useful next step rather than forcing a development plan onto them. The panel may probe how you gained genuine commitment.
Be ready to talk about feedback you received
Prepare one example where somebody gave you feedback that was uncomfortable but useful. Explain what you checked, what you changed and how you knew the change helped.
Avoid the disguised-strength answer where your “development area” is working too hard. A real adjustment is more credible and gives the panel more to assess.
Common interview mistakes
Course-list answers. The response describes training attended but not capability gained.
Rescuing the learner. The candidate keeps taking over difficult parts, so independence never develops.
Generic feedback. “I gave constructive feedback” tells the panel nothing about what needed to change.
One-size-fits-all support. The same development plan is imposed regardless of individual need.
No evidence of progress. The answer ends when the coaching stops instead of showing what the person can now do.
Prepare for the rest of the behaviour interview
The grade-specific interview guides cover all nine behaviours with worked questions and answers at your level, helping you show what changed in somebody's capability rather than simply listing training or feedback activity.
Need the written application instead? Go to the Developing Self and Others 250-word statement example.
