Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult team member
Theme: Teamwork Role: Business Analyst Function: Technology
Interview Question for Business Analyst: See sample answers, motivations & red flags for this common interview question. About Business Analyst: Analyze business processes and requirements to propose technology solutions. This role falls within the Technology function of a firm. See other interview questions & further information for this role here
Sample Answer
Example response for question delving into Teamwork with the key points that need to be covered in an effective response. Customize this to your own experience with concrete examples and evidence
- Context: Provide a brief overview of the project or situation where you encountered the difficult team member
- Difficult Team Member's Behavior: Describe the specific behavior or actions of the team member that made them difficult to work with
- Impact on the Team: Explain how the difficult team member's behavior affected the team dynamics, productivity, or morale
- Approach to Address the Issue: Outline the steps you took to address the difficult team member's behavior
- Communication & Conflict Resolution: Explain how you communicated with the team member to address the issue and resolve conflicts
- Results & Outcome: Share the outcome of your efforts in dealing with the difficult team member and the impact it had on the team and project
- Reflection & Learning: Reflect on what you learned from this experience and how it has influenced your approach to working with difficult team members in the future
Underlying Motivations
What the Interviewer is trying to find out about you and your experiences through this question
- Conflict resolution skills: Assessing how well you handle difficult team dynamics and your ability to resolve conflicts effectively
- Interpersonal skills: Evaluating your ability to communicate and collaborate with diverse personalities and manage difficult team members
- Leadership skills: Assessing your ability to lead and influence others, especially in challenging situations
- Problem-solving skills: Evaluating your approach to identifying and addressing issues within a team, including dealing with difficult team members
Potential Minefields
How to avoid some common minefields when answering this question in order to not raise any red flags
- Blaming or badmouthing the team member: Avoid speaking negatively about the team member or blaming them for the difficulties
- Lack of empathy or understanding: Avoid showing a lack of empathy or understanding towards the team member's perspective or challenges
- Inability to resolve conflicts: Avoid demonstrating an inability to effectively resolve conflicts or find common ground with the team member
- Lack of communication skills: Avoid showing poor communication skills or an inability to effectively communicate with the team member
- Inflexibility or unwillingness to adapt: Avoid displaying inflexibility or an unwillingness to adapt to the team member's needs or working style