Can you give an example of when you had a difficult conversation with a software engineer and how you worked through it?

Question Analysis

This is a behavioral interview question, which seeks to understand how you handle challenging situations, particularly in communication and conflict resolution. It focuses on your leadership and management skills in dealing with difficult conversations, especially with software engineers. The interviewer is interested in your problem-solving abilities, empathy, and interpersonal skills in managing and resolving conflicts. The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method is ideal for structuring your response.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, I had a software engineer who was consistently missing deadlines, which was affecting the team's overall performance and project timelines.

Task: My responsibility was to address the issue directly with the engineer in a manner that was constructive, supportive, and aimed at finding a solution that would help him meet his deadlines without compromising the quality of his work.

Action: I scheduled a one-on-one meeting with the engineer in a private and comfortable setting to discuss the situation. I began the conversation by acknowledging his strengths and contributions to the team, which helped to set a positive tone. I then explained the impact of the missed deadlines on the project and the team, using specific examples. I asked open-ended questions to understand any challenges he might be facing, whether personal or related to the work environment. Together, we identified that the root cause was a lack of clarity in task priorities and some personal time management challenges. I offered to help by setting more explicit priorities and suggested a time management workshop that our company offered. We also agreed on regular check-ins to track progress and adjust plans as needed.

Result: This approach led to a significant improvement in the engineer's performance. He became more proactive in managing his tasks, met subsequent deadlines, and even contributed valuable ideas to improve workflow efficiency. This not only strengthened our team’s performance but also built a stronger working relationship based on trust and open communication.