Give an example of when you made a decision that was unpopular.

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your decision-making skills, leadership capabilities, and how you handle conflict or dissent. The interviewer wants to understand your ability to stand by your decisions when they are not well-received by others and how you manage to navigate the situation. It's crucial to demonstrate your thought process, the rationale behind your decision, and how you communicated and executed it despite its unpopularity.

Answer

Situation:
In my previous role as a project manager, our team was working on a high-stakes project with a tight deadline. Midway through the project, I realized that our current approach was not going to meet the client's quality expectations or timeline due to unforeseen complexities.

Task:
As the project leader, I had to make a decision to change the course of action to ensure the project's success. This meant reallocating resources and extending the timeline, which was initially an unpopular decision among the team and stakeholders due to potential budget implications and workload increase.

Action:
I organized a team meeting to communicate the reasons for my decision clearly. I presented data and projections that illustrated the risks of continuing with the current approach. I also outlined the benefits of the new plan, including improved quality and long-term client satisfaction. I listened to the team's concerns and incorporated their feedback to refine the plan, ensuring everyone felt heard and involved.

Result:
Though initially met with resistance, the team eventually understood the necessity of the change. We implemented the new strategy, and as a result, delivered a high-quality product that not only met but exceeded client expectations. The project was completed slightly over the original timeline, but it strengthened our relationship with the client and avoided potential rework costs.

By standing firm and effectively communicating the rationale behind my decision, I was able to turn an unpopular choice into a successful outcome for the project and the company.