How do you deal with conflicting priorities? A TPM at Tesco frequently faces these scenarios..

Question Analysis

This question is asking you to describe your approach to managing conflicting priorities, a common challenge in Program Management roles. As a Technical Program Manager (TPM) at Tesco, you will likely encounter situations where multiple projects or tasks need attention simultaneously, and you must decide how to allocate resources effectively. This question assesses your ability to prioritize tasks, make decisions under pressure, and communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a TPM at a tech company, I often faced conflicting priorities between new feature development and ongoing system maintenance.

Task: My responsibility was to ensure that both the new features were delivered on time without compromising the system's stability.

Action:

• Assessment: I first gathered all relevant information about the priorities, including deadlines, resource availability, and potential impacts on the business.
• Prioritization: I utilized a prioritization framework, like the Eisenhower Matrix, to categorize tasks based on urgency and importance.
• Communication: I held a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss the priorities and align on the critical tasks that needed immediate attention.
• Resource Allocation: Based on the discussion, I reallocated resources and adjusted timelines to accommodate the most pressing tasks.
• Monitoring: I set up regular check-ins to monitor progress and remained flexible to re-prioritize as new information or emergencies arose.

Result: By effectively managing the conflicting priorities, we successfully launched the new features on time while maintaining system stability, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and meeting our business goals.