Questions to Assess Management Potential

Promoting the right people into management is too important to leave to gut feel. This practical question set helps you evaluate not just skills but mindset—how a candidate thinks about responsibility, communication, motivation, accountability, and leading others under pressure. Use it to surface strengths, reveal blind spots, and make confident, evidence-based promotion decisions.

Why this matters

High performers aren’t automatically high-impact managers. Management potential isn’t a given. Managing requires empathy, clarity, and the ability to bring out the best in people—especially when stakes are high or conflicts arise. These questions are designed to spark honest reflection and real conversations about readiness to lead.

What’s inside

A structured set of prompts that go beyond technical expertise to probe:

• Motivation & Mindset — Why they want to lead and how they define management.

• Self-Awareness & Temperament — Empathy, positivity, energy in groups, and communication style.

• People Leadership — Motivating others, managing mistakes, giving/receiving feedback, and conflict approach.

• Execution Habits — Time management, planning, and handling pressure.

• Professional Standards — Accountability, professionalism, and cultural fit.

• Ramp-Up Plan — How they’d approach the first two weeks and first 90 days.

• Growth Orientation — Learning habits, reading, and recent takeaways.

• Legacy — The impact and reputation they hope to build as a manager.

How to use it

1. Pre-screen candidates (internal or external) with the question set.

2. Discuss live to hear real examples, not theory. Ask for specifics, outcomes, and lessons learned.

3. Rate responses against your leadership standards and values.

4. Decide & develop—promote those ready now and create targeted development plans for those who need seasoning.

When to use it

• Considering a promotion into a first-time manager role

• Hiring externally for front-line leadership

• Calibrating succession plans and bench strength

• Coaching high-potential individual contributors

What improves with better manager selection

• Team health: fewer fire drills, clearer expectations, faster conflict resolution.

• Performance: stronger follow-through and consistent results.

• Retention: people stay when they trust their manager.

• Culture: accountability and professionalism become the norm.

Ready to assess with confidence?

• Download the Question Set

• Use it in your next promotion conversation

• Pair results with a development plan

Created by Capacity Building Solutions, Inc.—practical tools for leaders who own the outcome.