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

Question Analysis

This question is probing your ability to make decisions under pressure, especially when those decisions might not be initially well-received by others. It evaluates your leadership skills, courage, and your ability to stand by a decision you believe is right, even in the face of opposition. Interviewers are interested in understanding how you handle conflict, your decision-making process, and how you communicate and justify your decisions to others.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, our team was tasked with delivering a high-priority project under a tight deadline. During the initial phases, it became apparent that our current approach would not meet the timeline due to unforeseen complexities.

Task: As the project manager, I needed to make a decision that would ensure timely delivery while maintaining the quality of the output. This required reallocating resources and shifting some team members from their current tasks to focus on the critical aspects of this project.

Action: I decided to divert resources from a less critical project, which was not received well by the team members working on that project and some stakeholders, as they felt their work was being undervalued. I organized a meeting to explain the urgency and significance of the project at hand and how this temporary resource shift was crucial for the company's strategic goals. I communicated transparently about the decision-making process and assured them of the project's temporary nature and my commitment to supporting all team members once the critical project was back on track.

Result: While initially unpopular, the decision enabled us to meet the deadline with high-quality results, and the client was highly satisfied. Once the project was completed, I ensured that the team members were acknowledged for their flexibility and hard work, and I worked with them to get their original project back on schedule. This approach improved overall team morale and trust in leadership decisions.