Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict within a facility management team
Theme: Conflict Resolution Role: Facilities Manager Function: Operations
Interview Question for Facilities Manager: See sample answers, motivations & red flags for this common interview question. About Facilities Manager: Manages facilities and ensures a safe and productive work environment. This role falls within the Operations function of a firm. See other interview questions & further information for this role here
Sample Answer
Example response for question delving into Conflict Resolution with the key points that need to be covered in an effective response. Customize this to your own experience with concrete examples and evidence
- Conflict Situation: Provide a brief overview of the conflict situation within the facility management team
- Identifying the Conflict: Explain how you identified the conflict and the parties involved
- Active Listening: Describe how you actively listened to each team member's perspective and concerns
- Mediation & Facilitation: Explain the steps you took to mediate and facilitate a resolution
- Collaborative Problem-Solving: Detail how you encouraged collaboration and facilitated problem-solving among team members
- Conflict Resolution: Describe the outcome of the conflict resolution and how it positively impacted the team
- Lessons Learned: Share any lessons learned from this conflict resolution experience
Underlying Motivations
What the Interviewer is trying to find out about you and your experiences through this question
- Conflict resolution skills: Assessing my ability to handle conflicts within a team and find effective solutions
- Leadership & teamwork: Evaluating my role in resolving conflicts and promoting collaboration within the facility management team
- Problem-solving abilities: Understanding my approach to identifying and addressing conflicts in a facility management context
- Communication skills: Assessing my ability to effectively communicate and mediate between team members during conflict resolution
Potential Minefields
How to avoid some common minefields when answering this question in order to not raise any red flags
- Blaming others: Avoid blaming others or pointing fingers when discussing the conflict resolution. Take responsibility for your role in the conflict and focus on how you resolved it
- Lack of communication skills: Avoid mentioning any difficulties in effectively communicating with team members. Highlight your ability to communicate clearly and resolve conflicts through open and honest dialogue
- Inability to collaborate: Avoid discussing any instances where you were unable to collaborate or work effectively with others. Emphasize your teamwork and collaboration skills in resolving conflicts
- Lack of problem-solving skills: Avoid mentioning any instances where you struggled to find a solution or resolve the conflict. Instead, focus on your problem-solving abilities and how you successfully resolved the conflict
- Negative attitude: Avoid displaying a negative attitude or dwelling on negative emotions during the conflict resolution. Stay positive and highlight your ability to maintain a professional and constructive approach
- Inflexibility: Avoid mentioning any instances where you were inflexible or unwilling to consider alternative solutions. Emphasize your flexibility and willingness to compromise in order to resolve conflicts