Can you tell me about a time when you disagreed with a team member's approach?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess your interpersonal skills, conflict resolution abilities, and how well you work in a team. The interviewer wants to understand how you handle disagreements and whether you can maintain a professional and positive working relationship despite differing opinions. Your response should demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively, find common ground, and contribute to a collaborative environment.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, our team was tasked with developing a new marketing strategy for a product launch. One of the team members proposed an approach that focused heavily on traditional media, which I believed would not reach our target demographic effectively.

Task: My responsibility was to ensure the team developed a strategy that aligned with our target audience and maximized our marketing budget's impact.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with the team member to discuss our differing perspectives. During the meeting, I listened carefully to their rationale and acknowledged the potential benefits of their approach. I then shared my insights on the changing media landscape and presented data supporting a more digital-focused strategy. We agreed to combine both approaches, integrating traditional media for broader reach while leveraging digital channels to target specific segments.

Result: This collaborative strategy resulted in a successful product launch, with our marketing campaign exceeding its reach and engagement targets. The team member appreciated the opportunity to explore new methods, and our ability to work through the disagreement strengthened our working relationship.

This experience taught me the value of open communication and collaboration in resolving disagreements and achieving team goals.