Could you tell me about a time when a decision you made didn't work out? What did you learn from it?

Question Analysis

This question is a behavioral interview question designed to assess how you handle failure or setbacks. The interviewer is interested in understanding your decision-making process, how you deal with the outcomes of your decisions, and what you learn from your experiences. They are looking for evidence of self-awareness, resilience, and a growth mindset. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is an effective way to structure your response.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, I was responsible for overseeing the launch of a new product feature. We were working under a tight deadline and had to make a decision about whether to implement a new, untested technology that promised to enhance the feature's performance significantly.

Task: My task was to evaluate the potential risks and rewards of using this new technology and make a decision on whether to proceed with it. The goal was to meet the deadline while delivering a high-quality product.

Action: After consulting with the team and reviewing the available data, I decided to proceed with the new technology. I believed the benefits outweighed the risks and that it would give us a competitive edge. However, during the implementation phase, we encountered several unforeseen technical issues that delayed the project.

Result: As a result of these delays, the launch was postponed, which affected our sales targets for the quarter. I learned the importance of thoroughly vetting new technologies and the need for contingency planning. Moving forward, I implemented a more robust risk assessment process for future projects to prevent similar issues.

By sharing this experience, I aim to demonstrate my ability to learn from decisions that don't work out as planned and apply those lessons to improve future outcomes.