Can you describe how you address team conflicts? Suppose you were faced with a team conflict at Adeppar - what would you do?

Question Analysis

The question is asking you to demonstrate your conflict resolution skills within a team setting, specifically in the context of working at Adeppar. It assesses your ability to manage interpersonal issues and maintain team cohesion and productivity. This is a behavioral question, so you should use the STAR method to outline a specific situation, task, action, and result related to addressing team conflicts.

Answer

Situation: At Adeppar, I was part of a project team responsible for developing a new client reporting feature. During the project, a conflict arose between two team members regarding the implementation approach, which began to impact team morale and productivity.

Task: As the team leader, it was my responsibility to address the conflict promptly to ensure the project's timeline and quality were not compromised. My goal was to mediate the situation, find a resolution that satisfied both parties, and restore team harmony.

Action: I initiated a private meeting with each team member involved in the conflict to understand their perspectives and concerns. After gathering their viewpoints, I held a mediated session with both parties present. During the session, I encouraged open communication and active listening. I facilitated a discussion focused on the project goals and how each proposed solution could contribute to achieving these goals. We explored potential compromises and agreed on a hybrid approach that incorporated the strengths of both suggestions.

Result: By addressing the conflict directly and fostering a collaborative environment, the team was able to move forward with the project without further disruptions. The hybrid solution improved the feature's performance and was well-received by clients. Additionally, the team members involved in the conflict appreciated the resolution process, which enhanced mutual respect and collaboration within the team.