Tell me about a time when you had to finish a project with someone you didn't get along with.

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your ability to work collaboratively with others, especially in challenging situations. The interviewer wants to understand how you handle interpersonal conflicts and still achieve your goals. Your response will give insight into your communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and capacity for teamwork. The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method is ideal for structuring your answer, ensuring you clearly outline the situation you faced, your responsibilities, the actions you took, and the outcome of those actions.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager at XYZ Company, I was assigned to lead a new product development project. One of the key team members was a senior developer with whom I had previously had some disagreements over work methodologies.

Task: Despite our differences, we needed to collaborate effectively to deliver the project on time and meet the company's high standards for quality and innovation.

Action: To address this, I initiated a one-on-one meeting with the developer to openly discuss our previous disagreements and to understand his perspective on the project. I emphasized our common goal of delivering a successful product and suggested that we leverage our individual strengths for the benefit of the team. We agreed on a communication plan that included regular check-ins to ensure alignment and address any issues promptly.

Result: As a result of our improved collaboration and communication, we were able to complete the project two weeks ahead of schedule, and it received positive feedback from stakeholders for its innovation and quality. Additionally, my relationship with the developer improved, and we continued to work together successfully on future projects.