How do you deal with managers who don't believe in the value of your research?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your communication skills, particularly in difficult situations where you need to convey the importance and relevance of your work to someone who may not initially see its value. It evaluates your problem-solving abilities, your methods of persuasion, and your capacity to maintain professional relationships despite disagreements. This is a behavioral question, so using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method would be appropriate for your response.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a market researcher, I encountered a situation where my manager was skeptical about the value of a customer satisfaction survey I had conducted.

Task: My task was to demonstrate the importance of the survey findings to ensure they were considered in the company's strategic planning.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with my manager to discuss the survey results. I prepared a presentation that highlighted key insights and how these insights aligned with our strategic goals. I also brought data from similar studies to show the impact of implementing changes based on such research. During the meeting, I actively listened to my manager's concerns and addressed them by providing evidence-based responses and showing potential ROI from the research.

Result: As a result, my manager gained a better understanding of the survey's value and decided to incorporate the findings into the company's strategic plan. This not only improved customer satisfaction but also strengthened my credibility within the team.

By approaching the situation with clear, evidence-based communication and empathy towards my manager's perspective, I was able to effectively convey the importance of my research.