Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict within a team
Theme: Conflict Resolution, Team Management Role: Advertising Manager Function: Marketing
Interview Question for Advertising Manager: See sample answers, motivations & red flags for this common interview question. About Advertising Manager: Plans and executes advertising campaigns. This role falls within the Marketing function of a firm. See other interview questions & further information for this role here
Sample Answer
Example response for question delving into Conflict Resolution, Team Management 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 team
- Identifying the Conflict: Explain how you recognized 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 brainstorming to find a mutually beneficial solution
- Conflict Resolution: Describe the outcome of the conflict resolution and how it positively impacted the team
- Learnings & Improvements: Discuss any key learnings from the experience and how you implemented improvements to prevent future conflicts
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 and resolve conflicts within a team
- Teamwork & collaboration: Evaluating my approach to fostering positive relationships and teamwork
- Leadership & problem-solving: Understanding my ability to take charge and find effective solutions in challenging situations
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 worked towards a resolution
- Lack of communication: Avoid mentioning situations where the conflict arose due to a lack of communication within the team. This may indicate poor teamwork and collaboration skills
- Inability to compromise: Avoid sharing examples where you were unable or unwilling to compromise with team members. Employers value candidates who can find common ground and work towards a mutually beneficial solution
- Escalation of conflict: Avoid discussing situations where the conflict escalated or became unmanageable. Employers want to see your ability to handle conflicts in a professional and constructive manner
- Lack of problem-solving skills: Avoid sharing examples where you struggled to find a solution or failed to address the root cause of the conflict. Highlight your problem-solving abilities and how you approached the situation with a proactive mindset