Tell us about a time you worked with someone who wasn’t contributing to the team.
"I had a co-worker who seemed to be struggling. They seemed sleep-deprived, and their attention to detail wasn't what it once was. I tried to talk to them about it, but they weren't forthcoming about what was going on. I reviewed their work, just to help them out, and fixed a lot of mistakes. It got so bad that I decided it was time to bring it to the attention of my supervisor. They pulled us both outside and gave me a chance to speak first. It turns out they had some pretty serious health issues. They didn't want to miss work because they needed to maintain their hours to continue getting their health benefits. That's when our supervisor let us know they had a program for situations like this and that they wouldn't lose their benefits for missing work."
Not only can an employee's poor performance negatively impact the rest of the department, but how you handle such challenges can have a bigger impact, for better or for worse. Any insights they glean from your approach to teamwork will help them determine your impact on a team. Craft your example around the company's core values, treating others with respect and exhibiting integrity, empathy, transparency, discretion, all while respecting the chain of command.
As Stephen J. Squeri, American Express' Chairman & Chief Executive Officer says on their career's page, "At American Express we win as a team. We work together to build a culture that respects every individual for who they are, values their contributions, and gives them opportunities to succeed. I don't believe our company, or any company, can succeed over time unless they commit to getting this right."
There are several atypical personality types at work. There are those who will take any measure to make themselves look better, in contrast to the others on the team, as well as those who will try to deflect attention from their performance by pointing out problems elsewhere, while offering no solutions. There are also those who prefer the status quo and try not to rock the boat. There are those who prefer to take the path of least resistance and turn a blind eye. And lastly, there are those who focus on team collaboration, exhibit leadership, patience, and try to foster growth while keeping their eyes on the big picture. This question aims to determine if you are part of the problem or part of the solution.
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