Remember a time when someone gave you feedback that was tough to handle. What was challenging about it and did you believe it was correct?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess how you handle critical feedback, which is a common workplace occurrence. The interviewer wants to know if you're open to receiving feedback, how you process and evaluate it, and what actions you take afterward. They are interested in your self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and ability to grow from challenging situations. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can help structure your response effectively.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, I received feedback from a senior colleague during a project review meeting. They pointed out that my project updates lacked sufficient detail for stakeholders to make informed decisions.

Task: My task was to improve the quality of my project updates to ensure they were comprehensive and met the needs of all stakeholders involved.

Action: Initially, I found the feedback challenging because I believed my updates were sufficient. However, I took a step back and considered their perspective. I arranged a follow-up meeting with my colleague to understand their concerns better and asked for specific examples of where my updates fell short. Based on this discussion, I decided to modify my approach by incorporating more detailed data and analysis in my reports. I also sought feedback from other team members to ensure my updates were clear and informative.

Result: As a result of these changes, the quality of my project updates improved significantly. Stakeholders expressed appreciation for the clarity and detail in the reports, which facilitated better decision-making. The experience taught me the value of embracing feedback as an opportunity for growth, even when it's difficult to hear initially.