You observe that a colleague always arrives late to a weekly meeting. What would you do?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your problem-solving skills, communication abilities, and how you deal with recurring issues in a professional environment. It's important to demonstrate your capacity to handle interpersonal challenges tactfully while maintaining a collaborative work atmosphere. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is useful here to structure your response effectively.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project coordinator, I noticed that a colleague, who was a key team member, consistently arrived late to our weekly project meetings.

Task: I understood that it was important to address this issue to ensure the team remained on schedule and the colleague was up-to-date with all project developments.

Action: I decided to have a private conversation with the colleague. I approached the discussion with empathy, asking if there were any specific challenges or reasons for the tardiness. The colleague shared that overlapping responsibilities made it difficult to manage time between meetings. Together, we brainstormed solutions, such as adjusting the meeting schedule or redistributing tasks to alleviate the time conflict.

Result: As a result of our conversation, the colleague was able to manage their schedule better and began arriving on time for the meetings. This improvement helped maintain team morale and ensured that everyone was on the same page regarding project updates. Additionally, it reinforced a culture of open communication and problem-solving within the team.