How do you deal with conflicting priorities? This will be a frequent scenario you'll face as a TPM at Snowflake.

Question Analysis

The question is designed to assess your ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities, which is a crucial skill for a Technical Program Manager (TPM) at Snowflake. Conflicting priorities are common in dynamic environments, and your response should demonstrate your strategic thinking, decision-making skills, and ability to maintain focus on key objectives. This is a behavioral question, so using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method will help structure your response effectively.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a TPM at a tech company, I frequently faced conflicting priorities between ongoing product development and urgent customer issues.

Task: My task was to ensure that both the product development schedule stayed on track while also addressing the critical customer issues without compromising quality or deadlines.

Action:

• Prioritization: I first assessed the urgency and impact of each task by consulting with stakeholders, including engineering, sales, and customer support teams.
• Communication: I facilitated a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss the priorities and potential trade-offs. This ensured transparency and alignment on what needed immediate attention.
• Resource Allocation: I allocated resources by forming a cross-functional team to handle the urgent customer issues while maintaining the momentum on the product development side.
• Monitoring and Adjustments: I implemented a daily stand-up meeting to monitor progress and make necessary adjustments. This allowed the team to remain agile and responsive to any new developments.

Result: By effectively managing the conflicting priorities, we successfully resolved the customer issues within a week, leading to improved customer satisfaction. Simultaneously, we maintained the product development timeline, resulting in a timely product release without any quality compromises.

In summary, dealing with conflicting priorities involves clear communication, strategic planning, and continuous monitoring, allowing a TPM to navigate challenges effectively while maintaining project goals and stakeholder satisfaction.