You observe that a colleague always arrives late to a weekly meeting. What would you do?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and how you handle workplace challenges. It focuses on your approach to addressing a colleague's behavior that might be affecting team dynamics or productivity. Your response should demonstrate empathy, professionalism, and an ability to address issues constructively. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) will help structure your response effectively.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role, we had a weekly team meeting where one of my colleagues consistently arrived late, which disrupted the flow of the meeting and affected team morale.

Task: I felt it was important to address this issue, as it was impacting the team's productivity and the colleague's professional reputation. My goal was to understand any underlying reasons for the tardiness and help find a solution.

Action: I decided to approach my colleague privately to discuss the issue. I expressed my observations in a non-confrontational manner and asked if there were any challenges they were facing that caused them to be late. I listened attentively and learned that they had overlapping meetings that were causing scheduling conflicts. Together, we brainstormed solutions, including adjusting their prior meeting times or collaborating with management to adjust the start time of our weekly meeting.

Result: As a result of our conversation, my colleague was able to adjust their schedule, and their punctuality improved significantly. This change led to more productive meetings and improved team morale. Additionally, my colleague appreciated the supportive approach and was more engaged in our team discussions.