Share a time when you had to make a quick decision.

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your decision-making skills, particularly under pressure. The interviewer wants to see how you handle situations where you need to think on your feet and make a quick, yet effective, decision. It's important to showcase your ability to remain calm, gather necessary information quickly, and act decisively. Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) will help you structure your answer clearly.

Answer

Situation: At my previous job as a project manager, we were in the final stages of a major product launch when we encountered a critical issue. A major supplier informed us that a key component would be delayed, threatening our launch timeline.

Task: My responsibility was to ensure the product launched on time without compromising quality. This required making a quick decision on how to address the supply chain disruption.

Action: I quickly convened a meeting with the supply chain and production teams to brainstorm possible solutions. After evaluating the options, I decided to temporarily switch to an alternative supplier who could provide the necessary components within our timeline. I communicated this decision to the team and coordinated with the new supplier to expedite delivery.

Result: By making a swift decision, we managed to keep the production on schedule and successfully launched the product on time. The alternative supplier's components met our quality standards, and the project was completed without any delays, maintaining our reputation and client satisfaction.