The president of the company is the person who provides leadership for project teams and helps guide an organization’s larger overall strategy, particularly in troubled times. Since your president’s input will be crucial for determining your organization’s future trajectory, it’s critical that any potential hire has the business knowledge necessary to make smart decisions and the humility to know when he or she may need input from other specialists to help make a turnaround. What to look for in an answer:

• Identifies possible sources of help, including business consultants and marketing specialists
• Calm disposition when dealing with stressful situations
• Business acumen

As president, your candidate will serve as the public face of your organization. While management scandals aren’t common, your president may need to deal with the aftermath of previous mismanagement by taking steps to reduce any of damage that a given situation has on the long-term viability of your organization. Even if your candidate doesn’t have any direct experience with handling public relations after a public scandal, their answer to this question will reveal if they can effectively manage unexpected situations through strong management skills and innovative thinking. What to look for in an answer:

• Direct answer to the question
• Outlines clear strategy for dealing with negative publicity
• Ability to handle stressful situations

In order to make important business decisions, the president of the organization will need to gather data about the current state of operations from many different managers within the organization. However, the president’s time is often limited because they’re in charge of providing leadership and direction to many projects. This means that internal meetings with mid-level and senior management usually need to be efficient and succinct, so your candidate should have a clear approach for effective time management while still considering their role as a direct supervisor to those working under them. What to look for in an answer:

• Past examples of working with many layers of management
• Clear strategy for time management
• Thoughtful approach to leadership and staff management

For the president of an organization to implement an effective business strategy, he or she will necessarily need to have a strong understanding of what drives profitability in your industry. While there’s no single correct answer to this open-ended question, your candidate should be aware of the important industry-specific revenue streams and cost structures that are relevant to your company. The strongest candidates will be able to substantiate their answers with clear examples from personal experience and demonstrable evidence through data, statistics or case studies. What to look for in an answer:

• Explains the rationale behind the chosen strategy using concrete evidence
• Recognizes the importance of revenue and cost structures in profitability
• Strong communication skills

Since your president will be taking the lead on directing your organization’s business strategy, it’s critical to ensure that your candidate’s ethical foundation aligns with your company’s values. You should be confident that a potential hire will not steer your company toward legal trouble for participating in projects that might be based on questionable ethical and legal boundaries. This question helps make sure that the candidate is a good match for your company’s values and will be committed to avoiding any potential negative press and the corresponding damage to your brand. What to look for in an answer:

• Gives a direct answer to the question
• Sets up a logical framework for evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of potential project plans
• Ethical considerations are in line with your company’s values

Especially as leaders, the way an individual responds to criticism is crucial. Dealing with conflict objectively helps to support a positive environment. A candidate's answer to this question will reveal their leadership style, the methods they use to overcome challenges, and critical thinking skills. The ability to navigate stressful situations and the unexpected reveals strong management. Listening to others shows an individual who values others and is willing to learn. Some things to look for are:

• A peaceful temperament
• Ability to handle stress and tense situations
• Objective thought and effective communication

An effective answer can look similar to this: