If you ever made an unpopular decision, tell me about that

Question Analysis

This question is asking you to reflect on a time when you made a decision that was not well-received by others. The interviewer is interested in understanding how you handle situations where your choices might not align with the majority. They want to assess your decision-making process, leadership skills, and how you deal with conflict or pushback. It’s important to demonstrate your ability to stand by your decisions when necessary and how you managed any negative reactions.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a team leader at XYZ Corporation, we were working on a major project with a tight deadline. Our usual practice was to hold daily meetings to discuss progress, but these meetings were consuming a lot of time and affecting productivity.

Task: I noticed that the meetings were becoming redundant and decided that we needed to reduce them to twice a week. This decision was unpopular as the team was accustomed to the usual routine and some members felt it was important to maintain daily communication.

Action: I communicated my decision to the team and explained my reasoning: the need to increase efficiency and allow more time for focused work. I also encouraged open feedback and assured the team that we could revisit the decision if it didn’t work as planned. I implemented a system where team members could share updates via a shared document daily, ensuring everyone was still informed.

Result: Initially, there was resistance, but after a couple of weeks, the team noticed an improvement in productivity and project progress. The shared document became an effective tool for communication, and the team appreciated the additional time for focused work. The decision ultimately led to the successful and timely completion of the project, and the team adopted the new meeting schedule permanently.