"Tell me about the best manager you ever had."
This question is primarily used to see what you value in a manager. The best way to answer this question is to explain a little bit about the manager and list the things you respect. Also include that you learned how to become a good manager through your experience with your good manager.
Short Answers
"My favorite manager was a person with a lot of knowledge. She stood her ground firmly and knew the best process to take by analyzing all the information."
"My favorite manager was very trusting and easy to approach. I grew in many ways under this manager and I valued his method of dealing with directs. I believe in growing employees and this manager did a great job."
"I had a manager that worked efficiently. Instead of bossing everyone around, he set an example of hard work through his actions. I respected that trait and learned to be more like him by working smarter."
Long Answer
"The best manager I had was during my first year at Microsoft. Since then, I have been under many different managers, but nobody matched up to his level. I respected him the most because of two reasons. He spent a great deal of time mentoring me and teaching me many work related things. I became a great employee because of him. And second, he produced the greatest amount of quality work among all the other managers. I always wondered how he could spend so much time with me and still find ways to out perform other managers. But that is where I learned how to work smart and efficiently. He showed me how to be the best employee through his action and through the individual lessons he gave me. I was so happy to have had a great manager early in my career."
This is an easy answer for me because I was truly amazed at my first manager. I made sure to explain why he was the best manager and what I learned from him. Another reason why it is important to be able to answer this question is because most great employees were taught by a great manager.