Have you ever had a co-worker who is always late to a scheduled meeting? What do you do in this situation?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to evaluate your interpersonal and problem-solving skills in a work environment. The interviewer is looking to see how you handle situations involving team dynamics and whether you can address issues constructively and professionally. The question also probes your ability to communicate effectively and maintain a positive working relationship despite challenges.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role at XYZ Corporation, I had a team member, John, who frequently arrived late to our weekly project meetings. This was affecting our team's ability to start meetings on time and sometimes led to repeated discussions for his benefit.

Task: As the project lead, it was my responsibility to ensure that our meetings were productive and that all team members were aligned on project goals and deadlines.

Action: I decided to approach the situation by first speaking to John privately. I expressed my concern about the timeliness of our meetings and asked if there was a specific reason for his tardiness. It turned out that another recurring meeting often ran late, overlapping with ours. Together, we agreed on a solution to reschedule our meeting to a time that worked better for everyone involved.

Result: After making this adjustment, John started attending the meetings on time, which improved our team's efficiency. This experience taught me the importance of open communication and considering others' perspectives before jumping to conclusions. It also reinforced the value of flexibility in scheduling to accommodate the needs of the entire team.