Could you describe a moment when you and a team member didn't see eye-to-eye?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your conflict resolution skills, teamwork, and how you handle disagreements or differences in perspective in a professional setting. The interviewer is interested in understanding your ability to communicate effectively, your problem-solving capabilities, and how you maintain professional relationships even when conflicts arise. This is a behavioral question, so it's best answered using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, I was working on a critical project with a tight deadline. During one of our planning meetings, a team member and I disagreed on the approach to prioritize tasks. They believed that we should focus on the tasks with the highest complexity first, while I advocated for tackling the quick wins to build momentum.

Task: My task was to ensure that the project stayed on track and that all team members were aligned in our approach to meet the deadline efficiently.

Action: I scheduled a one-on-one meeting with the team member to discuss our perspectives in detail. I actively listened to their reasoning and concerns, and I shared my rationale for focusing on quick wins. We agreed to analyze the potential impact of both approaches on the project timeline. Together, we decided to conduct a brief risk assessment of both strategies. This collaborative assessment helped us realize that a hybrid approach would be most effective, allowing us to address complex tasks while still achieving early successes.

Result: By resolving our disagreement through open communication and mutual respect, we were able to devise a strategy that satisfied both perspectives. As a result, the project was completed on time and met all deliverables. Additionally, our collaborative approach improved team cohesion and strengthened our professional relationship.