Looking for the best CEO interview questions? You’re in the right place!

If you’re looking to fill a CEO position in your company, you’ll want to ask the best CEO interview questions. A CEO is a highest-ranking executive in an organization, and they make important decisions that can impact the success of the business. When recruiting for this position, it’s important to look for candidates who are familiar with your industry and have experience in a C-suite-level role.

To help you assess candidates’ skills and determine if they’re a good fit for your business, we’ve compiled a list of CEO interview questions. These questions will help you better understand a candidate’s management and problem-solving skills. So, whether you’re just starting to recruit for this position or you’ve already identified your top candidates, be sure to ask these CEO interview questions.

Best CEO Interview Questions To Ask

Interview questions for CEOs can vary depending on the organization and industry. However, there are some common CEO interview questions that you can ask to get a better sense of a candidate’s qualifications. Here are 50 CEO interview questions to ask:

Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions assess a candidate’s past behavior to determine if they’re likely to exhibit similar behaviors in the future. This type of question is often used to gauge a candidate’s soft skills, such as teamwork, leadership, and communication.

When asking behavioral interview questions, be sure to give the candidate specific examples of times when they displayed the desired behavior. For example, you might ask a CEO candidate how they handled a difficult situation with a team member in the past.

Here are some common behavioral interview questions for CEOs:

1. What personality traits make a good leader?

This question assesses a candidate’s self-awareness and ability to identify qualities that are necessary for success in a leadership role.

2. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement as CEO?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to reflect on their successes and learn from their experiences. It also allows you to get a sense of what they consider to be important achievements.

3. How do you prefer to communicate with your team?

This question assesses a candidate’s communication style and ability to adapt their communication to different situations.

4. What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to people management?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to identify areas for improvement and how they plan to address challenges.

5. What do you think makes a good team player?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to identify qualities that are necessary for success in a teamwork. It also allows you to get a sense of what they consider to be important qualities in a team member.

6. Name two strengths and two weaknesses you have and how they can impact your responsibilities as a CEO.

This question assesses a candidate’s self-awareness and ability to identify areas of improvement. It also allows you to get a sense of how they plan to address their weaknesses.

7. What has been your greatest career disappointment? What did you learn from it?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to reflect on their experiences and learn from their mistakes.

8. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.

This question assesses a candidate’s decision-making skills and how they handle difficult situations.

9. What do you think are the three most important qualities for success as CEO? Why?

This question allows you to get a sense of what the candidate considers to be important qualities for success in this role. It also assesses their ability to justify their choices.

10. Tell me about a time when you had to make an important decision in your role as CEO.

This question assesses a candidate’s decision-making skills. You want to see if the candidate is able to make sound decisions under pressure and if they’re able to justify their choices.

11. Can you describe a time when you had to give feedback to a team member?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to provide constructive feedback. You want to see if the candidate is able to deliver criticism in a way that’s respectful and helpful.

12. Tell me about a time when you faced a challenging situation at work.

This question assesses a candidate’s problem-solving skills. You want to see how the candidate reacted in a difficult situation and if they’re able to find creative solutions.

Operational And Management Interview Questions

Management interview questions assess a candidate’s ability to lead and manage others. This type of question is often used to gauge a candidate’s experience in managing teams and projects.

When asking management interview questions, be sure to ask about specific situations that the candidate has managed in the past. For example, you might ask a CEO candidate how they handled a difficult project or what methods they used to motivate their team.

Here are some common management interview questions for CEOs:

13. What do you think our company’s mission and vision are?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to understand and align with your company’s mission and vision.

14. What do you think our company’s values are?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to understand and align with your company’s values.

15. What changes would you implement in our company?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to identify areas for improvement and their vision for the company.

16. What do you think our company’s strengths and weaknesses are?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to identify your company’s strengths and weaknesses. This is important because you want to make sure that the candidate is aware of both the positive and negative aspects of your business.

17. What would you do in your first 30 days as CEO of our organization?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to make a plan and set priorities. It also allows you to get a sense of their vision for the company.

18. What are some challenges you see our company facing in the next year?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to identify potential challenges and their understanding of the industry.

19. How would you handle a situation where one of our employees was not meeting expectations?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to give constructive feedback and manage difficult situations.

20. Describe a time when you had to give negative feedback to an employee.

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to deliver criticism in a way that’s respectful and helpful.

21. What methods do you use to motivate your team?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to motivate others. You want to see if the candidate has a good understanding of what motivates their team and if they’re able to provide specific examples.

22. How do you handle conflict within your team?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to resolve conflict. You want to see if the candidate is able to find creative solutions that satisfy all parties involved.

23. What do you think makes a good leader?

This question allows you to get a sense of the candidate’s leadership style. It also allows you to see if the candidate has thought about what qualities make a good leader.

24. Who are some leaders that you admire?

This question allows you to get a sense of the candidate’s leadership style. It also allows you to see if the candidate has thought about what qualities make a good leader.

25. What do you think are the most important qualities for a CEO?

This question allows you to get a sense of the candidate’s priorities and what they think is important for a CEO.

26. What are some decisions you’ve made that you’re proud of?

This question allows you to get a sense of the candidate’s decision-making skills. You want to see if the candidate is able to make sound decisions that are in line with your company’s values.

27. What do you think makes a successful company?

This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of what it takes to be successful in business. This is important because you want to make sure that the candidate has a realistic view of what it takes to succeed.

28. What do you think are the most important qualities for a successful CEO?

This question allows you to get a sense of the candidate’s priorities and what they think is important for a CEO.

29. What leadership style do you prefer?

This question assesses a candidate’s leadership skills. You want to see if the candidate is able to adapt their leadership style to different situations and if they’re aware of different leadership styles.

30. How do you delegate tasks and projects?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to delegate. You want to see if the candidate is able to give clear instructions and if they trust their team to complete tasks without close supervision.

32. What methods do you use to motivate your team?

This question assesses a candidate’s motivation skills. You want to see if the candidate is able to identify what motivates their team and if they’re able to provide the appropriate level of support.

Strategy Interview Questions

Strategy interview questions assess a candidate’s ability to develop and implement business strategies. This type of question is often used to gauge a candidate’s experience in developing long-term plans and achieving goals.

When asking strategy interview questions, be sure to ask about specific strategies that the candidate has developed and implemented in the past. For example, you might ask a CEO candidate how they increased sales in their previous company or what steps they took to improve customer satisfaction.

Here are some common strategy interview questions for CEOs:

33. What experience do you have with developing business strategies?

This question assesses a candidate’s experience in developing business strategies. You want to see if the candidate has experience in your industry and if they’re familiar with common strategic planning methods.

34. Can you give me an example of a successful business strategy that you implemented?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to develop and implement successful business strategies. You want to see if the candidate is able to create strategies that achieve specific goals and objectives.

35. What do you think is the most important element of a successful business strategy?

This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of business strategy. You want to see if the candidate is able to identify the key components of a successful strategy and if they’re familiar with common pitfalls.

36. Before making a major financial commitment – what criteria do you use when deciding which products or services to invest in?

This question assesses a candidate’s financial decision-making skills. You want to see if the candidate is able to make sound financial decisions that are in line with your company’s values.

37. When making decisions, how do you balance the interests of different stakeholders?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to make decisions that are in line with your company’s values. You want to see if the candidate is able to take into account the interests of different stakeholders and if they’re able to make decisions that are in the best interest of the company.

38. Imagine that a product or service we launched recently failed our expectations. What would you do?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to respond to failure. You want to see if the candidate is able to identify the cause of the failure and if they’re able to develop a plan to improve the situation.

39. What steps do you take when making decisions about layoffs or downsizing?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to make difficult decisions. You want to see if the candidate is able to take into account the interests of different stakeholders and if they’re able to make decisions that are in the best interest of the company.

40. How do you prepare for major industry or company changes?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to anticipate and prepare for change. You want to see if the candidate is able to identify trends in the industry and if they’re able to develop plans to adapt to changes.

41. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our industry?

This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of your industry. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in the industry and if they’re able to identify potential opportunities.

Organizational Culture Interview Questions

Organizational culture interview questions assess a candidate’s ability to shape and maintain a positive company culture. This type of question is often used to gauge a candidate’s experience in creating an inclusive environment that attracts and retains top talent.

When asking organizational culture interview questions, be sure to ask about specific initiatives that the candidate has implemented in the past. For example, you might ask a CEO candidate how they increased employee satisfaction in their previous company or what steps they took to reduce turnover.

Here are some common organizational culture interview questions for CEOs:

42. What do you think is the most important element of positive company culture?

This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of company culture. You want to see if the candidate is able to identify the key components of a positive culture and if they’re familiar with common challenges.

43. Can you give me an example of a successful initiative that you implemented to improve company culture?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to shape and improve company culture. You want to see if the candidate is able to create and implement initiatives that achieve specific goals and objectives.

44. What do you think is the most important thing that CEOs can do to foster a positive company culture?

This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of the CEO’s role in company culture. You want to see if the candidate is aware of the CEO’s ability to influence company culture and if they have ideas on how to positively impact it.

45. How do you build rapport with the management team?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to build relationships. You want to see if the candidate is able to develop positive relationships with their direct reports and if they’re able to create an environment where open communication is encouraged.

46. What do you think are the most important values that should guide our company?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to articulate the company’s values. You want to see if the candidate is able to identify the core values that guide the company’s decision-making and if they’re able to align their own personal values with those of the organization.

47. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our company when it comes to culture?

This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of company culture. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in the industry and if they’re able to identify potential opportunities.

48. What do you think are the most important things that employees need from their leaders?

This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of employee needs. You want to see if the candidate is aware of the different factors that contribute to employee satisfaction and if they have ideas on how to address common issues.

49. What do you think is the most important thing that we can do to attract and retain top talent?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to attract and retain talent. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in recruiting and if they have ideas on how to improve the company’s ability to attract and retain top talent.

50. What do you think is the most important thing that we can do to develop our next generation of leaders?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to develop talent. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in leadership development and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

51. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to create a more diverse and inclusive environment?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to create an inclusive environment. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with best practices in diversity and inclusion initiatives and if they have ideas on how to improve the company’s ability to attract and retain a diverse workforce.

52. What do you think is the most important thing that we can do to support employees’ career development?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to develop talent. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in employee development and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

53. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to improve communication across the organization?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to improve communication. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in organizational communication and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

54. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to increase employee engagement?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to increase employee engagement. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in employee engagement and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

55. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to improve customer satisfaction?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to improve customer satisfaction. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in customer service and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

56. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to reduce turnover?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to reduce turnover. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common issues in employee retention and if they have ideas on how to address those issues.

57. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to increase sales?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to increase sales. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in sales and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

58. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to improve profitability?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to improve profitability. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common financial issues and if they have ideas on how to address those issues.

59. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to reduce expenses?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to reduce expenses. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common financial issues and if they have ideas on how to address those issues.

60. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to improve our competitive position?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to improve the company’s competitive position. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common industry challenges and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

61. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to improve our image?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to improve the company’s image. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common reputation management challenges and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

62. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to improve our relationships with our employees?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to improve the company’s relationships with employees. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in employee relations and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

63. What do you think are the most important things that we can do to improve our relationships with our customers?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to improve the company’s relationships with customers. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common challenges in customer relations and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

Problem-Solving Interview Questions

Problem-solving interview questions assess a candidate’s ability to identify and solve problems. This type of question is often used to gauge a candidate’s experience in troubleshooting and root cause analysis.

When asking problem-solving interview questions, be sure to ask about specific problems that the candidate has solved in the past. For example, you might ask a CEO candidate how they increased sales in their previous company or what steps they took to improve customer satisfaction.

Here are some common problem-solving interview questions for CEOs:

64. Can you give me an example of a time when you had to troubleshoot a problem?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to identify and solve problems. You want to see if the candidate is able to quickly find the root cause of a problem and if they’re familiar with common troubleshooting methods.

65. Can you give me an example of a time when you had to solve a difficult problem?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to identify and solve difficult problems. You want to see if the candidate is able to find creative solutions to complex problems and if they’re comfortable working under pressure.

66. What do you think is the most important thing that CEOs can do to solve problems?

This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of the CEO’s role in problem-solving. You want to see if the candidate is aware of the CEO’s ability to influence company decision-making and if they have ideas on how to positively impact it.

67. Describe how you’ve selected and implemented technology improvements in the past.

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to select and implement technology improvements. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common industry challenges and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

68. What are some of the most important things that CEOs can do to manage change?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to manage change. Company goes through changes frequently and you want to see if the candidate is familiar with common change management challenges and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

69. How would you develop our core competencies?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to develop the company’s core competencies. The company’s core competencies are the skills and knowledge that make it unique and successful. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with your industry and if they have ideas on how to improve the company’s core competencies.

70. What do you think are the most important things that CEOs can do to create a productive work environment?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to create a productive work environment. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common productivity challenges and if they have ideas on how to address those challenges.

71. How did you reduce costs in your last position?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to reduce costs. Cost management is a key responsibility of CEOs and you want to see if the candidate is familiar with common cost-saving strategies.

72. How will you identify the problems in the organization?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to identify problems in the organization. You want to see if the candidate is able to quickly find areas of improvement and if they’re familiar with common problem-solving methods.

73. What tools and techniques would you use to approach problem-solving with your Executive team?

The ideal candidate should have a toolbox of problem-solving techniques that they can use with their Executive team. Some common tools and techniques include brainstorming, root cause analysis, and SWOT analysis.

74. Tell us about some of the process improvement projects you’ve initiated that your organization has had success with.

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to initiate and manage process improvement projects. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common process improvement tools and techniques and if they have ideas on how to improve the company’s processes.

75. What would you do to attract top talent?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to attract top talent. You want to see if the candidate is familiar with common recruiting challenges and if they have ideas on how to improve the company’s recruiting process.

76. Describe a time when you faced an unexpected challenge at work. How did you handle it?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to handle unexpected challenges. You want to see if the candidate is able to think on their feet and if they have a methodical approach to problem-solving.

77. How would you handle a disgruntled or dissatisfied customer?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to handle customer complaints. You want to see if the candidate is able to diffuse difficult situations and if they have a methodical approach to problem-solving.

78. Tell me about a time when you had to change your planned course of action at the last moment. How did you handle this situation?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to handle unexpected changes. You want to see if the candidate is able to think on their feet and if they have a methodical approach to problem-solving.

79. Your team wants to buy new software to help increase the team’s productivity, and she asks for your recommendation. How do you respond?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to make recommendations. You want to see if the candidate is able to research and evaluate different options, and if they’re able to provide a well-reasoned recommendation.

80. Describe a time when you had to solve a problem but didn’t have all the necessary information about it beforehand. What did you do?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to solve problems with incomplete information. You want to see if the candidate is able to make assumptions and if they have a methodical approach to problem-solving.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few examples of CEO interview questions that you can ask to assess candidates’ management and problem-solving skills. Be sure to tailor your questions to fit your specific needs. And, as always, remember to listen carefully to the answers given and look for signs of honesty and sincerity. With the right questions, you’ll be able to find the best CEO for your company.

Remember, hiring a great CEO or any other executive is a process. It takes time to find the right person for the job. But, with the right questions, you can find the best CEO for your company.

What other CEO interview questions would you add to this list? Share your thoughts with us!