Leadership Under Pressure
A child refuses to line up for headcount and starts arguing loudly. What’s your first priority?
Maintain safety and calm; don’t argue, de-escalate, and notify the Supervisor if necessary.
A staff member forgot to do a room check. What’s the right move?
Do it immediately, then remind them respectfully.
Accountability is about correcting, not blaming.
You hear gossip about another coworker. What should you do?
Walk away or shut it down immediately.
You’re covering ratio in Medical and a child refuses meds. What should you do?
Notify a supervisor; don’t force or argue.
How can you show leadership even if you’re not a supervisor?
By being dependable and helping others.
You see another staff raising their voice at a child. What’s a professional way to respond?
Step in calmly to support, redirect the conversation, and later debrief privately with the staff.
You find incomplete documentation at the end of your shift. What should you do?
Complete it before clocking out or notify your supervisor.
A child overhears two staff arguing. What should happen next?
Direct the staff to go elsewhere. Then address it privately with a witness after ensuring child safety.
You must choose between helping with documentation or assisting with showers. What’s best?
Prioritize direct care tasks first, communicate needs, and delegate when possible.
What’s one quality all good leaders have?
Adaptability.
If two children start physically fighting, what’s the correct order of action?
Call for assistance, follow crisis protocol (TEAMS), ensure child safety, then report and document immediately.
You notice a rule being broken repeatedly. How do you handle it?
Communicate directly, offer a solution, and report consistent patterns to a supervisor.
A coworker gives unclear directions. What’s the best communication response?
Clarify politely, ask questions to ensure understanding.
You notice a child acting different and possibly sad. What’s your move?
Engage kindly, report any concerns, and document unusual behavior.
What’s one area you can work on to prepare for promotion?
Communication, organization, or time management.
Growth starts with self awareness.
A child threatens to run away and another staff freezes. What should you do as a leader?
Stay calm, engage the child with verbal de-escalation, ask for support, and direct the frozen staff calmly to assist.
If you accidentally forget to document an incident, what’s the right next step?
Report it immediately, correct the record, and accept accountability.
True leaders learn from their mistakes.
A staff member rolls their eyes and walks off when you redirect them. How do you handle it?
Stay calm, document the behavior, and debrief privately to reestablish professionalism.
A child refuses to join group and another staff insists on a consequence. What’s your leadership response?
Assess reason first, offer choices, involve your supervisor, and use trauma-informed approaches.
How can you build trust with your coworkers?
Keep your word, show up, and stay professional under pressure.
After a serious incident, your coworkers start venting loudly near children. How do you handle it?
Ask them to leave the area to decompress privately, then debrief later. Maintain professionalism in front of children.
A coworker says, “Don’t tell anyone; it’s not a big deal,” after a policy violation. What’s your response?
Report it, leadership is about ethics, not popularity.
A Shift Leader gives feedback that feels unfair. How should you respond?
Listen respectfully, reflect, and respond professionally rather than defensively.
How you receive feedback shows leadership maturity.
Two staff give you conflicting directions. What should you do?
Escalate respectfully for clarification.
Leadership respects chain of command.
What separates a good staff from a great leader?
A great leader takes ownership, makes hard decisions with fairness, and keeps the team focused even when things get tough.