Questions on Conflict Resolution
Writing up a few good stories is only the start. You should also prep for common follow-ups. The most common of these are on conflict resolution and challenges to your priorities.
Our quick overview of Google’s teams research is especially helpful here. When thinking about how you handle these common challenges, consider ways you created an atmosphere of psychological safety.
- How did you ensure each group member was given an equal opportunity to speak up without fear?
- How were you empathetic?
Remember the other tenants of high-performing teams, and be sure to write out:
- How you insisted on dependability – ensuring team members could count on eachother to do good work on time.
- How you brought structure & clarity to the situation by eliminating uncertainty.
- How you aligned the team on the deeper meaning and the impact of the work.
When asked how you handle conflict, showcase careful information gathering, logical decision-making, tact, and backbone.
Tips include:
- Stay user-centric and business-focused; when you need to make tough calls, try to lay out all your options objectively and weigh options in terms of benefits (to users, and alignment with business goals) vs. cost
- Showcase creativity. Were you able to come up with a new, novel solution to a problem?
- Showcase your ability to respectfully disagree and move on without causing issues within the team.
When asked how you prioritize, showcase your ability to gather critical input and make good decisions even in ambiguous situations.
Tips include:
- Explain key pieces of info you’d need in order to make go/no-go decisions.
- Give an example of a time time when you received a vague request and how you handled it.
Once you've built your story bank and prepared for followups like these, the best way to test it out is through a peer-to-peer mock. Sign up now -- we host sessions twice daily!