Tell us about some unpleasant feedback that you received?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess how you handle criticism and whether you can use feedback constructively to improve your performance. It evaluates your ability to remain professional in the face of negative feedback, your self-awareness, and your commitment to personal and professional growth. The interviewer is looking for a specific example, so it's important to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your response.

Answer

Situation:
In my previous role as a project coordinator, I was responsible for managing timelines and ensuring team deliverables were met on schedule. During one of our major projects, we experienced a delay due to unforeseen technical issues.

Task:
The project manager provided feedback that I could have anticipated some of these issues earlier and communicated more proactively with the team to mitigate the delay.

Action:
I took this feedback seriously and arranged a meeting with the project manager to understand their perspective better. I acknowledged the delay and discussed potential strategies for improving my anticipation and communication skills. I then implemented a more detailed risk assessment process at the beginning of each project phase and scheduled regular check-ins with the team to address any potential issues early on.

Result:
As a result, not only did the subsequent projects run more smoothly, but the team also appreciated the open lines of communication. The project manager noticed the improvement, and our overall project delivery time improved by 15% over the next six months.

This experience taught me the importance of proactive communication and risk management, and I now regularly seek feedback to continue enhancing my performance.