Let me know about a time when you disagreed with someone on your team.

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your interpersonal skills, ability to handle conflicts, and how well you work in a team. The interviewer is interested in understanding how you navigate disagreements, whether you can maintain professionalism, and how you ensure productive outcomes. They are also looking to see if you can reflect on past experiences and learn from them. Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) will help structure your response effectively.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, our team was tasked with developing a new feature for a software application. During one of our planning meetings, a team member proposed a different technical approach that I believed would prolong our timeline.

Task: My task was to ensure that the team remained aligned with our project objectives and to address any concerns that could potentially impact our deadline without compromising the quality of the outcome.

Action: I initiated a follow-up meeting with the team member to discuss our differing viewpoints in more detail. I actively listened to their reasoning and shared my perspective based on my experience with similar projects. We collaboratively analyzed the pros and cons of both approaches. I suggested that we present both options to the team during our next meeting to harness collective input and make an informed decision.

Result: By facilitating an open and respectful discussion, we were able to combine the best elements of both approaches. This not only kept the project on schedule but also enhanced the feature's functionality. Our team member felt valued and the overall team cohesion improved, leading to a successful project delivery.

By approaching the disagreement constructively, we achieved a solution that benefited the project and strengthened team collaboration.