Would you mind elaborating on a situation where you and your director had differing viewpoints and how it was settled?

Question Analysis

This question is a behavioral interview question designed to assess your conflict resolution skills, ability to work collaboratively, and how you handle disagreements, especially with senior management. It focuses on your interpersonal skills and your approach to achieving resolution in a professional environment. The interviewer is interested in understanding your capability to manage differences in opinion constructively and maintain a positive working relationship.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, we were working on a high-stakes project with tight deadlines. My director and I had differing viewpoints on the project's timeline. He believed we needed to allocate more time to the initial research phase, while I felt we should move more quickly into development to meet client expectations.

Task: My task was to ensure that the project remained on schedule without compromising the quality of the research and development phases.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with my director to discuss our differing viewpoints in detail. I prepared a detailed project timeline and risk assessment that highlighted the benefits and potential pitfalls of both approaches. During the meeting, I actively listened to his concerns and presented my analysis. We brainstormed potential solutions and agreed to a compromise that allowed for an extended research phase while implementing a phased development approach to keep the project on track.

Result: As a result of our collaboration, we managed to meet the project deadlines without sacrificing the quality of the research. The phased development approach also allowed for flexibility and adaptability, leading to a successful project delivery and positive feedback from the client. This experience strengthened my relationship with my director and demonstrated the value of open communication and mutual respect in resolving conflicts.