How to write a Leadership statement
A step-by-step guide to writing a strong Leadership behaviour statement using the STAR method. Follow these steps, avoid common mistakes, and use the checklist before you submit.
What Leadership means
Leadership means showing enthusiasm, direction, and accountability to help teams and individuals achieve their best. At every grade, assessors want to see that you take ownership and support others to succeed.
What assessors look for: Evidence that you take ownership, motivate others, provide direction, and hold yourself and your team accountable for outcomes.
Step 1: Choose your example
Pick one specific situation from your work, volunteering, or education. The best examples for Leadership often involve:
- Team leader who stepped up to coordinate a new starter's training when the usual mentor was on leave.
- A situation where you had to think beyond your immediate responsibilities
- A challenge that required you to showing enthusiasm and direction to help teams achieve their goals.
You do not need a dramatic story. A well-told ordinary example scores better than an extraordinary one told badly. Assessors look for clarity and evidence, not grandeur.
Step 2: Write the Situation (2 sentences)
Set the scene quickly. The assessor needs enough context to understand what was at stake, but not every detail.
For example: "A new starter joined our team during a period when our usual training mentor was on long-term leave. The new starter was struggling to grasp our case management system and their confidence was dropping."
Step 3: Write the Task (1 sentence)
State your specific responsibility. What did you need to achieve?
For example: "I needed to ensure the new starter received adequate training and support without delaying our team's ongoing workload."
Step 4: Write the Action (60% of your words)
This is the most important part. Describe what you did, step by step. Use "I" not "we". Be specific about your contribution.
For example: "I volunteered to take on the mentoring role and created a two-week training plan based on the existing mentor's notes. I scheduled daily 15-minute check-ins, adapted my teaching style when I noticed t..."
Spending too long on Situation and not enough on Action. The assessor wants to know what you did, not every detail of the context.
Step 5: Write the Result (1–2 sentences)
End with a clear outcome. Include a number if you can — it makes your result concrete and memorable.
For example: "The new starter was handling cases independently within three weeks — one week ahead of the usual timeline. They later told my manager that the struct..."
Full example
Here is the complete example, annotated with STAR markers:
[S] A new starter joined our team during a period when our usual training mentor was on long-term leave. The new starter was struggling to grasp our case management system and their confidence was dropping.
[T] I needed to ensure the new starter received adequate training and support without delaying our team's ongoing workload.
[A] I volunteered to take on the mentoring role and created a two-week training plan based on the existing mentor's notes. I scheduled daily 15-minute check-ins, adapted my teaching style when I noticed the new starter learned better from visual examples, and paired them with a buddy for peer support. I also adjusted my own schedule to handle some of their simpler tasks while they built competence, and kept my manager informed of progress weekly.
[R] The new starter was handling cases independently within three weeks — one week ahead of the usual timeline. They later told my manager that the structured support made them feel valued. Our team's case backlog did not increase during the transition period.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing leadership with seniority — you can show leadership at any grade.
- Describing only what you told others to do, without showing how you supported them.
- Using the word "led" without evidence of what you actually did differently.
Checklist before you submit
- Is the example specific and real?
- Do I use "I" not "we" in the Action section?
- Is the word count within the limit (check the job advert)?
- Does the Result include a number or measurable outcome?
- Have I adapted this example to focus on Leadership, not another behaviour?
- Have I removed filler words and phrases?
- Have I checked for spelling and grammar errors?