If you took an unpopular decision, please tell me about it

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your decision-making skills, leadership qualities, and ability to handle opposition or criticism. The interviewer wants to understand how you navigate situations where your decision may not be well-received by others. They are interested in your reasoning process, how you communicated your decision, and the outcome. This type of question is best answered using the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, we were tasked with delivering a software product by a tight deadline. During the project, I noticed that one of the features was causing significant delays and could potentially jeopardize the entire timeline.

Task: My responsibility was to ensure the project was delivered on time without compromising its quality. After consulting with the team, I realized that we needed to make a decision on whether to exclude the problematic feature or risk missing the deadline.

Action: I made the decision to temporarily exclude the feature, prioritizing the overall project delivery. I communicated this decision to the team and stakeholders, explaining the rationale and how this would allow us to focus on core functionalities. I ensured that everyone understood that we could revisit and include the feature in a future update.

Result: Although the decision was initially unpopular, especially among the development team who had invested time in the feature, it ultimately led to the successful and timely launch of the product. Stakeholders appreciated the transparency and the focus on delivering a high-quality product. In subsequent updates, we were able to include the feature with improvements based on user feedback. This decision reinforced the importance of flexibility and clear communication in project management.