Please tell me a time when you disagreed with a team member's strategy.

Question Analysis

This question is a classic behavioral interview question designed to assess your interpersonal skills, conflict resolution abilities, and how you handle disagreements in a professional setting. The interviewer wants to understand how you approach differences in opinion, especially when it involves collaboration and teamwork. A strong answer will demonstrate your ability to remain respectful, consider alternative perspectives, and work towards a constructive outcome.

Answer

Situation: While working on a project to develop a new marketing campaign at XYZ Company, our team was divided on the approach. One team member proposed a strategy heavily reliant on traditional media outlets, which I disagreed with, given our target audience's digital presence.

Task: My task was to collaborate effectively with the team to ensure our campaign reached the widest and most relevant audience possible, while also maintaining a positive working relationship with my colleague.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with the team member to discuss our differing viewpoints. During the meeting, I listened to their rationale and shared data indicating our target audience's preference for digital media. I suggested a hybrid strategy that incorporated both traditional and digital approaches, highlighting the benefits of reaching a broader audience. I also proposed a small pilot test to gather data on both strategies before making a final decision.

Result: After consideration, the team agreed to my proposed approach. The pilot test showed significantly better engagement through digital channels, leading to a successful campaign launch that exceeded our engagement and conversion goals. Additionally, our team maintained a strong, collaborative dynamic throughout the project.