Fast Stream Leadership & Management Competencies — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Civil Service behaviour best describes the ability to create and communicate a clear vision for your team?
- Seeing the Big Picture (Correct answer)
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Developing Self and Others
Correct answer: Seeing the Big Picture
'Seeing the Big Picture' is the Civil Service behaviour that involves understanding the wider context and translating it into a clear direction for your team.
Question 2: A team member consistently delivers high-quality work but is reluctant to share their methods with colleagues. Which behaviour should you focus on developing in them?
- Working Together (Correct answer)
- Delivering at Pace
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
Correct answer: Working Together
'Working Together' covers collaboration and knowledge sharing. The team member's reluctance to share is a barrier to team effectiveness and this behaviour directly addresses it.
Question 3: You are leading a project and need to make a significant decision quickly with incomplete information. Which approach is most consistent with the 'Making Effective Decisions' behaviour?
- Use the available evidence, consult key stakeholders, acknowledge uncertainty, and decide with clear rationale (Correct answer)
- Wait until you have complete information before making any decision
- Delegate the decision to a more senior colleague to avoid risk
- Make the decision based on your instinct and justify it afterwards
Correct answer: Use the available evidence, consult key stakeholders, acknowledge uncertainty, and decide with clear rationale
Making effective decisions under uncertainty requires using available evidence, consulting appropriately, and being transparent about what is not known. Paralysis or avoidance are not options.
Question 4: Which of the following best demonstrates the 'Developing Self and Others' behaviour?
- Regularly seeking feedback, acting on it, and coaching team members to grow (Correct answer)
- Always completing tasks independently without asking for help
- Focusing exclusively on delivery targets and leaving personal development to annual reviews
- Attending all training courses offered regardless of their relevance
Correct answer: Regularly seeking feedback, acting on it, and coaching team members to grow
Developing self and others involves actively seeking growth for yourself and creating conditions for others to develop. Passive attendance at training or ignoring feedback does not demonstrate this behaviour.
Question 5: A new policy initiative requires significant change to how your team works. Several team members are resistant. What does good leadership look like here?
- Explain the reasons for the change clearly, listen to concerns, and involve the team in implementation planning (Correct answer)
- Tell the team the change is mandatory and they must comply immediately
- Delay the change until all team members agree with it
- Implement the change gradually without telling the team until it is too late to resist
Correct answer: Explain the reasons for the change clearly, listen to concerns, and involve the team in implementation planning
Good change leadership involves clear communication, listening, and co-designing the implementation where possible. Dictating or deceiving the team destroys trust.
Question 6: Which behaviour is most directly associated with ensuring your team meets its objectives on time and to the right quality?
- Delivering at Pace (Correct answer)
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Developing Self and Others
- Working Together
Correct answer: Delivering at Pace
'Delivering at Pace' is specifically about maintaining focus on priorities, managing time and resources, and delivering results to the required standard within deadlines.
Fast Stream Leadership & Management Competencies
Which Civil Service behaviour best describes the ability to create and communicate a clear vision for your team?