Describe a time when you made an unpopular decision.

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your decision-making skills, leadership capabilities, and how you handle challenges, especially when your choices are not well-received. The interviewer wants to see if you can stand by your decisions and manage any negative responses effectively. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your response, highlighting your reasoning and the outcomes of your decision.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, our team was working on a high-stakes project with a tight deadline. Midway through the project, I realized that continuing with our current approach would likely lead to missing the deadline.

Task: I needed to decide whether to overhaul our strategy, which was unpopular among team members who were comfortable with the existing plan, or risk falling short of our objectives.

Action: After analyzing the situation and consulting with a few senior colleagues, I decided to implement a new workflow and allocate resources differently. I held a meeting with the team to explain the reasons behind the decision, emphasizing the potential benefits and addressing their concerns.

Result: Initially, the decision was met with resistance, but as we progressed, the team started to see improvements in productivity and morale. Ultimately, we completed the project on time and exceeded the client's expectations, which reinforced the value of making tough, albeit unpopular, decisions when necessary.