I want to know about a time you disagreed with a supervisor.

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your ability to handle conflict, communicate effectively, and maintain professionalism in a workplace setting. Interviewers are interested in understanding how you navigate disagreements with authority figures, such as supervisors, and whether you can do so constructively and respectfully. It's important to demonstrate that you can voice your opinions while maintaining a collaborative and solution-oriented approach.

Answer

Situation: At my previous job, I worked on a team responsible for launching a new marketing campaign. My supervisor suggested a strategy that heavily focused on traditional media, which I believed wouldn't reach our target demographic effectively.

Task: My task was to contribute to the strategy development and ensure the campaign's success, meaning it was crucial for me to address my concerns about the proposed approach.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with my supervisor to discuss my concerns. I prepared data and examples to support my perspective, showing trends that indicated our demographic was more engaged with digital platforms. During the meeting, I expressed my respect for her experience and asked if we could explore a more balanced approach that included digital media. I emphasized our shared goal of making the campaign successful.

Result: My supervisor appreciated my initiative and data-driven approach. She agreed to incorporate more digital strategies into the campaign. As a result, the campaign reached a wider audience and exceeded engagement expectations. This experience strengthened our professional relationship and demonstrated the value of open communication and collaboration.