Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your manager.

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your interpersonal skills, conflict resolution abilities, and how you handle disagreements in a professional setting. The interviewer wants to understand your approach to managing differences of opinion with authority figures while maintaining a healthy working relationship. It's crucial to demonstrate that you can disagree respectfully, communicate effectively, and work towards a positive resolution.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a marketing coordinator, my manager proposed a new advertising strategy that I believed wouldn't resonate well with our target audience based on recent market research.

Task: I needed to express my concerns and present an alternative approach that could potentially yield better results, without undermining my manager's authority.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with my manager to discuss my insights. During the meeting, I acknowledged the merits of her strategy and then shared the data I had collected, which suggested a different direction. I proposed an alternative plan that aligned more closely with the research findings and highlighted potential benefits.

Result: My manager appreciated my initiative and data-driven approach. We collaborated to refine the strategy, combining elements from both proposals. The campaign was launched successfully and resulted in a 15% increase in engagement, exceeding our initial targets. This experience strengthened my relationship with my manager and reinforced the importance of open communication and collaboration.