I want to hear about a time when you had to work together on a project with a coworker who you didn't like.

Question Analysis

This is a behavioral interview question aimed at understanding how you handle interpersonal conflicts and work collaboratively, even with individuals you may not have a natural rapport with. The interviewer is interested in your conflict resolution skills, teamwork, and ability to maintain professionalism in challenging situations. They want to assess your capacity to focus on common goals despite personal differences.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, I was assigned to a team project where I had to work closely with a coworker whose working style and communication approach were quite different from mine. We had previously experienced some friction during meetings due to these differences.

Task: Our task was to develop a new marketing strategy for a product launch, which required us to collaborate effectively to meet tight deadlines and ensure a successful launch.

Action: Recognizing the importance of collaboration, I initiated a one-on-one meeting with my coworker to discuss our differences and find common ground. During the meeting, I actively listened to their concerns and shared my perspective as well. We agreed to focus on our common goals and established clear communication protocols to avoid misunderstandings. We also set up regular check-ins to ensure we were aligned and could address any issues promptly.

Result: By fostering open communication and focusing on our shared objectives, we were able to work together more effectively. The project was completed on time and exceeded our initial performance metrics, leading to a successful product launch. This experience taught me the value of addressing interpersonal challenges directly and finding ways to work collaboratively, even with those I may not naturally get along with.